Facts About Red Wiggler Worms

Compost worms such as red wigglers can convert organic wastes.

Red wigglers or Eisenia fetida are the worm of choice for both home and commercial worm composting. They got their name from the violent flip-flopping they do when disturbed and for their color, a dark maroon with pale yellow bands between each segment.

Identification

Red wigglers mature in 40 to 60 days and grow to a length of about 3 1/2 inches. Other names for red wigglers include red worms, brandling worms, dung worms and tiger worms.

Features

Red wigglers can eat 50 percent to 100 percent of their body weight per day. They will eat most forms of organic matter that are not rich in salts, acids or alcohol, notes worm composting expert Rhonda Sherman, an extension specialist at North Carolina State University.

Considerations

Eisenia fetida can grow and reproduce in temperatures ranging from 59 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit, moisture contents from 43 percent to 90 percent and pH levels between 5 and 9. Its ability to adapt to a wider range of conditions than other earthworms, who generally require cooler temperatures and deep containers to create permanent burrows, make it more suitable for home composting.

References

• University of Wisconsin BioWeb: Eisenia Fetida
• North Carolina State University: Vermicomposting & Earthworm Q&A
• CSA Illuminata: The Life-cycle of the Compost Worm Eisenia Fetida (Oligochaeta)