Tiger Worm Farming Is Best When Composting

There are over 3000 species and varieties of worms around the world. Of this number, some are given different names to refer to the same species or variety. In UK, the number has been reduced to about 28. The most familiar form is the common earthworm called Lumbricus terrestris. These are, however, not the best type of worm to be cultured in a wormery. If the purpose of the worm farm is composting, the best worms to farm are the tiger worms (Eisenia fetida). Bluenose worm also referred to as Dendobaena or European Night Crawler (Eisenia hortensis) and the Red Worms or Red Wriggler (Eisenia Andrei) can equally grow well in a wormery. Thus, tiger worm farming is, without a doubt, a better worm to farm.

Getting Intimate with Tiger Worm

Tiger worms are among the most popular worms in the worm bins. They are called tiger worms because their bodies have alternating red and yellow bands along their entire length. They are also called as striped worms, compost worms and manure worms. They used to be scientifically referred to as Eisenia foetida until it was changed to Eisenia fetida in 2004.

These worms are hermaphrodite and their eggs can be hatched between 32 to 72 days or an average of 6 weeks depending on certain ecological conditions such as temperature and humidity. After hatching, the worms mature and start reproducing in ten weeks depending on the availability and quality of food. A wormery that can support a large population can stimulate the reproductive worms towards optimized fecundity or reproductive potential which means laying two to three cocoons for six months of the year.

Tiger Worms vs. European Night Crawlers

There is no doubt that tiger worm farming is easier to maintain because tiger worms are more highly adaptable, with wider tolerance for adverse conditions, more versatile and consumes more organic matter.  They may be a little more expensive to acquire, but they also generate more revenues when the worm farmer so decides to get into the selling of the worms or its castings and worm tea (poop and urine respectively).  Tiger worms are still better when it comes to composting.

A little cheaper are the Dendrobaena or the European Night Crawlers and these are also easier to harvest. These are more widely cultured than tiger worms. These are popular for fishermen and anglers who buy them regardless of their price just so long that they are fat and big that attract a good catch when these are used as baits.

The Composting Advantages of Tiger Worms

If the purpose is to undertake composting, it is better to pursue tiger worm farming. For commercial production of more compost, it is best to use younger worms because they are hungrier than older worms. As far as composting is concerned, the condition, age, size and species of worm are more critical than their weight.

A good start is about 300 worms that are young, sexually mature tiger worms. The tiger worm farming may be slow to build up because the worms need some lead time so that the first few weeks are used up in the initial microbial decomposition before the worms can convert the organic waste into composts and castings. It helps if the food materials are chopped up into “bite-sized” chunks and if their preferred diet is served regularly – a diet of 70 percent fruits and vegetables and 30 percent carbon from cardboard, papers, paper towels and egg cartons. A week is usually needed for the worms to get settled nicely in their feeding and breeding cycles.

Don’t be intimidated by the name; tiger worms are toothless just like the rest of their relatives. They don’t bite and they are just contented to feed and feed.