Red Wrigglers or Nightcrawlers for vermicomposting...Which is better?

[farmerpiper]

I read about nightcrawlers being different from red wrigglers and both being earthworms. What makes them different from each other.

Which is better for creating vermicompost? Are these two available anywhere? Which is more expensive?

[dumbledorf17]

Red wrigglers are not diggers or burrowers. They stay on top and crawl within the air pockets between composted materials. They are often found on the just below the soil surface.

Nightcrawlers are burrowers and they can dig deeper into the soil .

[vermigiant]

I think its wiggler not wriggler.=)

The scientific name of a red wiggler worm is Eisenia fetida . It is considered as the worm best for vermicomposting. They love darkness so they shy away from light. They have voracious appetites and can eat as much as half of their weight. They are also raised for fish baits because they wiggle on the hook attracting fishes and can survive in water for many days.

Nightcrawlers are also used for composting but they are not really the best choice for composting. They don't live well in high moisture and they might die if they live in a medium with high water content. But nightcrawlers are fat so they are also used for bait.

[rosiethumb]

Comparing the two, red wigglers can tolerate a wider range of temperature. They also consume different kinds of organic materials. And they are very prolific.

In tropical regions, african nightcrawlers are best for cow manure.

[krissy]

Although african nightcrawlers are good composters they are easily affected by a change in environmental conditions.

My neighbor had experienced one whole bin of nightcrawlers on the exodus after a sudden hot dry spell.

[Edward12]

it really depends on your purpose of raising worms whether it would be to sell as baits or mainly for composting only.

[farmerbrie]

this is a red wiggler



nightcrawlers

[honeylemon]

Hi farmerpiper! I've found these shopping site that tells you about their price for both worms. Red Wigglers are much cheaper.

Red Wiggler Worm Composting :: Organic Worm Composting :: All Things Organic

[wrigglerman]

Eisenia spp and Eudrilis spp are worms which are great for composting because they are non-burrowing types. They can digest almost 90% of organic materials and turn these into valuable vermicompost.

Don't use Pertima spp because they are the burrowing types and mostly eat soil and less organic materials.

[beezybody]

I'd opt for nightcrawlers. Aside from giving me good quality compost, I've been getting extra income by selling them to my neighborhood "fishermen" for bait.

[Edward12]

If you opt to use Eisenia foetida, then you should know that they also work inside worm bins. this special species of worms thrives in the temperature range of 55 to 77 degrees F. If you will provide them with adequate food and the right living conditions, a pound of red wiggler worms will digest ½ to 1 lb of kitchen scraps per day. Within a few weeks they will multiply and before you know it, you will have hundreds of worms more than you ever dreamed of.

[wormfan]

Hi farmerpiper, dumbledorf17 is correct. Red Wiggler worms are best in worm composting bins because they don't dig deep. While European Nightcrawlers can grow up to 6inches in length and can dig deep so they are better to be added in lawn and garden soils. If you raise them you'll need to have a minimum of 10 cm of soil. They burrow homes where they basically stay and rarely come out of - this makes them great for aerating the compost/ garden soil.

In terms of reproduction , they are slower than Red Wiggler worms - this is why they are much more expensive.

[leeza09]

Warm weathered seasons will double the Red Wiggler worms' activities as Red Wiggler worms prefer to mate and will heavily eat in warmer conditions including African Nightcrawler worms, during warm weathered seasons, you can introduce food as much as your worms are weighing.

[springhillcares]

Hi Farmer Piper, This is what I use and they work great. Read what others are also saying about these Redworms. Redworms - Gurney's Seed & Nursery