European nightcrawlers are found in cool, moist areas, such as under stones or logs, while red wigglers are found in warm, dry areas, such as in the soil or on the surface of rocks. European nightcrawlers have a shorter body and narrower head than red wigglers.
Can you mix European nightcrawlers and red wigglers?
Red wigglers and nightcrawlers are two worm species you can use on your farm to maintain and/or increase the fertility of plants' soil. But, the question you'd like answered is, “can you mix red wigglers and nightcrawlers?” Yes, you can.
What's better red worms or nightcrawlers?
African Nightcrawlers are some of the best and fastest composters around, in fact, they eat/process 2 to 3 times as much food as Red Wigglers.
How can you tell a European Nightcrawler?
European nightcrawlers look very similar to red wigglers (but larger). Their tails tend to flatten out slightly (but not as much as a Canadian nightcrawler), and the yellow markings that red wigglers sometimes develop are more prominent in the Euro. European nightcrawlers also have a prominent clitellum, or saddle.
Are European Nightcrawlers good for composting?
The European Nightcrawler Although it can still be used for composting. They can still make for good composting worms by helping aerate and fertilize the soil. Other than that, they also help make burrows of tunnels, to allow air and water to flow into the system. They are also the best worms to make as fish bait.
Why red wigglers are preferred?
Extremely hardy and easy to care for. Can tolerate a wide range of temperatures (65 F to 8 F, or 18 C – 27 C). Mature and reproduce more quickly than larger worm species. Prefer to live in a blend of food scraps and bedding than dirt (ideal worm bin conditions).
Do red wigglers aerate soil?
Red wiggler worms are often thought of as the best friend to plants because they aerate the soil and make it easier for water and other nutrients to reach plants' roots.
How do I identify a red wiggler?
Red wigglers are reddish-brown in color, have small rings around their body and have a yellowish tail. They have groups of bristles (called setae) on each segment that move in and out to grip nearby surfaces as the worms stretch and contract their muscles to push themselves forward or backward.
Do European nightcrawlers need to be refrigerated?
European Nightcrawlers are a large worm and there is not a lot of food in the shipping containers. It is strongly recommended that you refrigerate the worms if you will not be using them within a few days.
What are European nightcrawlers good for?
Although European nightcrawlers are used as composting worms, the fact is that they are best known as bait worms. Just like other types of nightcrawlers they are popular because they can be used as bait for different species of fish. In most cases, people use them for Trout, Bass, Sunfish and Walleye.
How often feed European Nightcrawlers?
Feed only very lightly for the first week, then feed every other day beginning with ½ cup per pound of worms. The worms will consume any kind of biodegradable matter except materials containing excess oil or chemicals, and enjoy a varied diet.
Can you have too many worms in your compost?
No, You cannot have too many worms in a composting pile. After reaching a critical population the worm reproduction slows down. There is limited food in a composting bin which can support limited population of worms. As the competition for limited food increases, the rate of population growth decreases.
What to feed nightcrawlers to make them big?
One of the surest ways to not only grow big worms, but also keep your worms healthy, is to spray you worm bedding and added food with a weak mixture of VermaPlex® (a liquid soil inoculant fertilizer made from worm castings) and water (80 parts water to 1 part VermaPlex®).
Which version of worms is the best?
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What color worm works best?
Black works well in all colors and clarity of water, and it closely mimics the color of some favorite bass foods such as leeches. When in doubt, we go to black. This dark purple color has green flakes in it to make it shine, and it is especially good in clear water.
What is the best live worm for fishing?
Nightcrawlers are synonymous with fishing. When you picture an angler fishing with a worm, you're typically going to picture a nightcrawler. ... Mealworms are great for catching anything small. Trout, panfish like bluegill and crappie, and perch all love mealworms. ... Waxworms fall into the same category as mealworms.
Are red wigglers better than earthworms?
Red wigglers differ from earthworms in their aggressiveness, though they eat as much as the earthworms do. Red wigglers take their food on the soil surface; earthworms do not. Red wigglers are of immense help to gardeners, as they help decompose dead organic materials to humus, which adds to the fertility of the soil.
Are European Nightcrawlers the same as red wigglers?
No, but it’s really easy to get confused. The size and girth of these worms at their maximum length can be similar (though healthy nightcrawlers are generally bigger) – and in terms of weight and power to shift soil and burrow, there is not a great difference.
Are red worms better than night crawlers for composting?
The cop-out answer is, it depends. Red worms or red wigglers are considered by many better or “easier” for your compost bin.
What temperature do red worms like?
Temperature. Red worms can tolerate a wide range of temperatures, from a low of 38 degrees Fahrenheit up to a high of 95. The ideal range for these worms is between 70 and 80 degrees, though they can tolerate a range of 55 to 77 degrees.
Can night crawlers survive in bright light?
Care. Red worms and European night crawlers cannot tolerate bright light, and if exposed to it they become paralyzed and eventually die. Vermicomposting containers or piles must be covered if they are in areas exposed to light or the worms won’t be able to come up to the surface to eat.
Do red worms have eggs?
Both red worms and European night crawlers weave cocoons containing eggs. Compared to European night crawlers, red worms typically produce more cocoons per adult worm, and each red worm cocoon has more eggs in it. The end result is about seven times more red worms than night crawlers in your bins. Excess worms of both types can be used to start additional vermicomposting bins. You can sell them or give them away to others who want to get started with worms, use them as bait, or feed them to reptiles, birds or other pets.
What is a Red Wiggler?
Red Wiggler worms are probably the most popular worm for vermicomposting. The larvae are not as ideal for composting as the fully developed Red Wiggler (Eisenia Foetida).
How to identify a red wiggler?
How to Identify Red Wigglers. Red wigglers are about two to five inches in length and about ¼ inches in diameter. They look similar to other earthworms but they do have a few distinct characteristics. The Red wiggler is a topsoil worm, with a deep reddish-brown color.
What do Red Wiggler Babies Look Like?
Red Wigglers are clear when they are hatching from the cocoon. They are sensitive to light, and sometimes they have a reddish tint to some of the sections on the worm. The worms can sometimes appear to be transparent in color. This coloring is a standard shade for the red wiggler hatchlings.
What is the chemical makeup of a red worm?
The Worm Castings contain abundant amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. The Red worm also lives topside and eats rotting vegetable scraps that we don’t eat. Since people often confuse traditional nightcrawler earthworms ...
How do worms mature?
The worm is fully mature when the clitellum swells around their bodies. These worms have both male and female reproductive organs, but still require another worm to reproduce. During the reproductive phase, the two of them will bind together and secrete albumin, which will form into a cocoon.
How to tell if a wiggler is red?
Here are the key things to look for in identifying red wigglers: Red Wigglers are two to five inches in length. They are Reddish Brown In color. Red Wigglers have Stripes or rings of different shades. They have a bulging area on their body called the clitellum.
What color are worms?
This coloring is a standard shade for the red wiggler hatchlings. The color starts to change as they mature, and by 45 days, they should be a full red color, with shades of transparent yellowish/reddish tint.
What is the difference between a Canadian Nightcrawler and a European Nightcrawler?
You can find them burrowing and thriving in most compost heaps or piles of animal manure. The Canadian nightcrawler on the other hand is also large in size, and is a very well-liked live fish bait.
What is a Canadian Nightcrawler?
The Canadian nightcrawler on the other hand is also large in size, and is a very well-liked live fish bait. Also known as Dew worms, Canadian’s are deep burrowers; and are usually placed in less confined spaces (compared to limited spaces that red wigglers can sustain). As for the African type, these are worms that can sustain cool conditions.
How deep do nightcrawlers burrow?
They only sense the motion of things through vibrations. They typically burrow down the soil (can burrow as deeps as 6 ½ feet) as soon as they feel minor shudders in their surroundings. But their burrowing has its advantages too since it helps with the aerating of the soil. They’re also sensitive to light that’s why they burrow back under the soil when it’s daylight. Aside from that, they’re usually seen feeding at night, and after a good rain (usually when there’s dew on the grass). They’re also thicker and larger in size (grows as long as 14 inches!) compared to red worms.
How long do red worms grow?
Uncle Jim’s recommends the 250 Super Red Worms or European Nightcrawlers. Our 250 Super Red Worms or European Nightcrawlers can grow for as long as 6 inches long; and can also be used for your gardening needs. It’ll help your garden or lawn soil become well aerated and fertilized too.
How to raise nightcrawlers?
Raising nightcrawlers is simple. You’ll just have to provide them a worm bin with some earthy soil (and of course some organic food supply), that you can store indoors (in your basement or garage) or outdoors afterwards (on your lawn or garden).
What are the different types of nightcrawler worms?
There’s the European kind, as well as the African and Canadian nightcrawlers.
Can nightcrawlers be used for compost?
The European and African nightcrawlers are usually the ones being used for worm composting. There are benefits to using them but they’re not as preferred by gardeners especially when it’s used for composting. But the good thing about about them is that they can stand low food levels compared to red wigglers.