Big clumps of worms in compost (especially around the lid)

My compost bin worms are brandlings too, or at least, I assume so, They're a red-ish colour, and thinner than earthworms.

 

I thought Brandlings are sort of ribbed - unlike smooth 'regular' earthworms. I am sure I had those two types (and maybe others) in my previous plastic compost bin.

 

I thought this was a problem with the compost being to wet as well.


Worm leachate seems a whole other discussion. I've seen so much heated debate from people who say it's the best thing ever and those that have the oposite view that's it's an anaerobic toxin.

 

Earthworms are ribbed - at least, the common ones around here are.
Maybe we have a similar confusion with common names as we do with plants. What I call an earthworm is Lumbricus terrestris.

 

Eisenia fetida is the brandling or tiger worm. The “smelly Eisen”, named after the Swedish man, Mr Eisen, who discovered them, probably in his compost heap.Mr Eisen was himself named after the element Iron. So you have a lot of smelly irons. I sometimes get a smelly iron if it’s too hot and it goes over a plastic bag.

 

Yup, them's the ones that live in my compost bin.

 

Just a physics note: Heat wouldnt rise in a mostly solid substance but would radiate unidirectionally, creating a heat gradient between the interior and the exterior, as the outside is in contact with something cooler. So the center would be the hottest and the top would be colder. The bottom of a composter would be warmer than the top as it is less in contact with cooler air.
Heat rises in liquids and gasses due to convection, where small groups of mobile particles become bouyant; hot fluids are less dense as "heat" acts as internal pressure pushing the particles apart: hot particles are pushed apart more than cold ones, so expand in volume and thus decrease in density.
You are right about the wet though: more water and more heat means less oxygen (bacteria would be consuming more) and the wormies need o2 just as much as we do.

 

@Adam I
Like (too) many 'scientists', you appear to make assumptions upon skant observations and I therefore rebut your conclusions !:
You fail to note that the OP reported that his bin had been rested without addition of fuel for several weeks, giving composting activity a chance to exhaust materials and possibly cool.
You appear to assume that the bottom is warmer without reference to any specific data you have and without consideration of solar warmth to the exposed exterior and substrata that the bin may be stood upon.
Furthermore, although you explain the effects of radiation and expansion, you appear to disregard the effects of convection and to some extent conduction.
It is to be hoped that OPs compost pile is fully aerobic, with free passage of gasses by exchange. It is clear that the bin is secure with regard to the described worms but we have no reason to assume the container is sealed.
tic.

 

I'm not bothered about the Physics of compost making, I know whatever
I put into the bins out comes lovely compost.
I have loads of Red Worms in the lids, I leave them to do their own thing.

 

Youd get a warmer air column radiating off the top (convection) but that column would always be colder than the source of the heat. I guessed the bottom would be warmer as its chilly right now so heat loss into the air would be greater than into the ground, especially with that convection. Ground temperature never gets below 7 degrees or so

Maybe it is just hot from the sun as you say, i think it was black plastic?
maybe the worms just gathered somewhere random for fun

i did a quick Google and some people were suggesting they gather when stressed, perhaps the pile was actually too hot for them during the day.

 

Happy to agree they were having a "get me outta here" moment.

 

A slug and a worm caught in the act of escaping. You can also see how the foxes have been digging at the insulating jacket to get at them.

 

Folks and fellow gardeners - much huge apologies. I totally forgot to come back to this thread to both read the answers and to thank you all for the great replies. Lots of info to digest.

I think wetness is the more likely culprit, as some have suggested. I struggle to get a decent heat going in the colder months. But my compost is usually a bit on the wet side which is something I need to address. In fact, there are other things I need to address to in order to make the most of my compost making, which can be hit and miss. I love doing it though, and so when time allows I'll do some reading up and perhaps return with questions to discuss anything I remain uncertain about.

In the meantime though, thanks again for all the info and advice

PS - All of that being said, someone else mentioned to me that the worms might have been behaving like that because the compost was ready and that they were therefore trying to leave to look for more food...

 

Adding shredded or simply ripped up paper is the easiest way to balance a wet compost. Any non-shiney paper will do so newspapers, envelopes, egg/fruit/mushroom cartons and cardboard.

We add far more than we used too and it’s really improved the consistency and speed of our compost.