Life Cycle of Red Worms

Red worms, often used for home composting of kitchen scraps, go more properly by the name red wigglers, or Eisenia fetida. Reflecting the humble roots of this typical manure worm, red wigglers can complete their simple life cycle as long as they live in a moist environment and are not overfed.

Time Frame

The life span of the typical red worm is about two years.

Features

Eisenia fetida worms begin life in a yellow, lemon-shaped cocoon and hatch after about three weeks. Adults reach 3 inches long and have a pronounced clitellum, or thickened segment that resembles a saddle.

Fun Fact

Red wigglers are hermaphroditic. Each worm contains sperm ducts and eggs, but needs another worm with which to exchange reproductive material.

Considerations

Worm bins or farms with stacking levels allow red wigglers to leave behind their castings, or manure, and travel up to areas of fresh bedding and food. Juvenile worms can hatch in lower levels and migrate up, so that the castings tray contains few cocoons.

Expert Insight

According to a life-cycle study of the compost worm Eisenia fetida by J.M. Venter and A.J. Reinecke, cocoons produced a mean of 2.7 hatchlings after a mean incubation period of 23 days. These worms attained sexual maturity after 40 to 60 days and produced their first cocoons within four days after mating took place.

References

• "The life-cycle of the compost worm Eisenia fetida (Oligochaeta);" J.M. Venter and A.J.| Reinecke; 1988
• "The Worm Book;" Loren Nancarrow and Janet Hogen Taylor; 1998
• Raise European Night Crawlers