Ziggy Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 (edited) I noticed today, when looking through the 'educational door' in the wormery (little door that you can open to look at what's going on in there, through a plexiglass panel), that there were lots of little white creatures in there... I have no idea what they are (I am a very unknowing person when it comes to those things), they are tiny, white, and have legs and a body longer than large... they look a little bit like headlice, but totally white... There are quite a lot of them... would anyone have any idea what they are, and if it's ok to have them in there, or whether I should do anything about it? Thanks in advance Edited February 19, 2008 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Hmmm, can't say that I've seen any like that in my wormery, but then perhaps they are down in the compost and not on the surface. Try taking a picture and sending it in to Wiggly Wigglers - they are very helpful. All I have are lots if baby worms, where they've been playing at ladies and gentlemen! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 They could be baby woodlice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ziggy Posted February 5, 2008 Author Share Posted February 5, 2008 They definitely look like baby something... They are down in the pile, not at the surface, can't see a single one up there... Not sure what baby worms look like, but I'm pretty sure this is not them... Will google a few things... there must be some pictures somewhere on the internet... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 You might have to s"Ooops, word censored!" everything and start again Ziggy.....I had a nest of ants in mine last year and they ate all the worm eggs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 I hate ants there are loads around here and they play havoc with crops in our sandy soil at the allotment. Baby worms look like clear jelly string when they are really small then just little. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyren Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 You might have to s"Ooops, word censored!" everything and start again Ziggy.....I had a nest of ants in mine last year and they ate all the worm eggs. I had to give up on my wormery - we have lots of ants here too (the estate used to be farmland 20 years ago) and my worms just didn't breed. Tried sticky ant tape and everything Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ziggy Posted February 5, 2008 Author Share Posted February 5, 2008 Oh dear... all the books and ads always make it sound so easy... I'm pretty sure these are not ants, I've had ants nest in the lawn many times before, and this doesn't look like their babies... Still googling, so far the closest guess is some kind of mite or springtails... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little chickadee Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 I would second the advice about wiggly wigglers. They are very helpful. Or, you could just give them to your chickens! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ziggy Posted February 5, 2008 Author Share Posted February 5, 2008 Thanks, I'll see if I can get a meaningful picture to send to them.... Those things really are tiny though... will have to use a very good camera on a very good setting and go very extreme enlarging... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Could you put some in a jam jar and see what they develop into? It might help with the photography too if they are captive Make sure the lid is on tight though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Could you put some in a jam jar and see what they develop into? It might help with the photography too if they are captive Make sure the lid is on tight though Good thinking David Attenburgh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ziggy Posted February 5, 2008 Author Share Posted February 5, 2008 Oh good idea!!!! That I will do... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reikiranf Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 I'm relatively new to the forum and just noticed your post, they could be vine weevil grubs which eventually grow into nasty black beetle type things that live in soil and kill plants by eating them from underneath ! When I find them in my pots I pick them out with a trowel and squish them with it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 I'm relatively new to the forum and just noticed your post, they could be vine weevil grubs which eventually grow into nasty black beetle type things that live in soil and kill plants by eating them from underneath ! When I find them in my pots I pick them out with a trowel and squish them with it Hmm, could be. I got the impression the intruder was minute, but here's a linky to a weevil page http://www.kendall-bioresearch.co.uk/weevil.htm Vine weevil are quite big, but the white babies, which look like little vine weevil ghosts, are smaller than the grub and adult. If I ever find any I put them in a pet food dish with slippy sides and place it on the bird table, birdies love them! I find this the only way to kill them apart from squashing, because as the old saying goes "Weevils wobble but they don't fall down" Sorry Couldn't resist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ziggy Posted February 18, 2008 Author Share Posted February 18, 2008 ummmm.... interesting... mine are white and small and have legs though... I have been so busy the last week that I haven't taken picture or 'captured' some of them, but will try and see if I can do it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ziggy Posted February 19, 2008 Author Share Posted February 19, 2008 Here's a picture.... the thing is only about 2 or 3 mm long, so I hope this will show clealy enough... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 That's very clear. Sorry, no idea what it is ... doesn't look like a vine weevil to me though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 I'll check it against my book tomorrow. I have a lot of white critters in mine, can't see legs on them though as they are too small. After reading my wormery book I decided they were good. My worms seem happy and these critters seem to break down food really fast - chips disappear in a couple of days (not that anyone in our house eats chips) Actually the chips James didn't eat for lunch today (School closed, power cut) were shared between the birds, the chooks and the worms! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperman Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 Why are you worried about them? Do you still have worms in the wormery? if so I wouldn't really care. I can understand why you woudn't want them mooching around in your 'self raising flour' or your knicker drawer but there are bigger things to worry about. Like the killer snake head fish that is about to sweep through the nation. This thing is lethal, it has more teeth than the Osmond family and can live out of water for up to four days it can also run fasterer than a racehorse, but luckily cannot outwit a fisherman. Edit: I forgot to mention it can kill people too! And here's me worrying about global warming. The Sun, We Love It Kev. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ziggy Posted February 20, 2008 Author Share Posted February 20, 2008 Thanks Kev.... not sure this helped much, but it did give me a laugh... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moochoo Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 They do look like baby woodlice. We have a large wood store and in spring we often see similar babies. I wouldn't worry too much they help to compost too and obviously don't bother the worms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ziggy Posted February 20, 2008 Author Share Posted February 20, 2008 According to Wiggly Wigglers, these are springtails... Well in both cases, baby woodlice or springtails, seems nothing to worry about and a good thing to be growing in there... Thanks everyone... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
