While I was away, however, I finally had a chance to read the rest of Sandra Wiese's book: The Best Place for Garbage and I can recommend it again as a book to read BEFORE you get started.
It turns out that those little white "babies" that look like little rice noodles and that I was working so hard to 'save' from the collection tray are actually called 'potworms' and do help the composting process, but are not as essential as the larger red wigglers. They are not baby red wigglers and I do not need to save them! When I returned from holiday, I had a quick look through the bin and found that I also did have plenty of pink baby wrigglers which was a relief.
Wiese says the potworms flourish in bins that are too wet. Accordingly I have purchased a paper shredder and have been adding dry shredded paper periodically since I am still getting about a 1/4 cup of fluid draining out the bottom every couple of days.
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| From left to right: white potworm, red baby wiggler and a US penny. |
The other 'normal' box inhabitant I have identified is mites. I first noticed a cluster of little spherical dots on a pile of pea baby food I had put in. I assumed at the time it was some kind of mold. When I returned from holiday, I put in some cantaloupe rind and noticed the next day that it also was covered with these little dots. If I sat still and watched, they would move re-e-a-a-l-l-y slowly. These mites also are part of the decomposition process and, apparently, are not a problem.
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| About a million mites on a piece of melon rind. |
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| Mites on a bit of shredded paper. I think the type is about 12 pt. |
Wiese also mentions an insect-like creature called a 'springtail'. I haven't gotten a good photo of these yet, but I'm pretty sure I've seen them floating on my leachate.
