White worms and Micro worms

[mitzy]

Hi all

not sure if this is right section but oh well

I am just wondering if the mirco worms and white worms need to have holes in lids , as i dont mind with the white worms but the mirco smell cause of the yeast and happen to attact fruit flys and are getting in my cultures.

So can they have the lid on with out holes or do they need the air.

I have had these cultures for agers and just starting getting the fruit flys and the micro is a pretty new one as i started a new one off and its doing great hundreds or worms.

[Faran]

Use paper towel to cover the holes and keep the flys out. Nothing you can do about the yeast smell, that's one of the joys of microworms

[mitzy]

Thanks I will try that. So the holes are needed i take it.

[Faran]

Yup, worms need to breathe like anything else

[ryanjury]

I just hit the lid with a steak knife and it makes a crack not a hole and then nothing can get in or out of it..

And yeah I think they need to breath I have often thought they would have enough air in there to breath as they're only small but have always put a crack or 2 in there.

[mitzy]

ill try that too thanks, If i make another curture from taking some from the old one would i still need to use yeast?

I make it using baby mixed cereal from the farex range and they seem to be booming so must like it.

[alanmin4304]

I culture microworms in 2 litre icecream containers with lids on and no holes and they go OK for weeks. White worms in wooden boxes as they seem to do better in a container that breathes but keeps the light out (photophobic)

[ryanjury]

My microworms dont do well at all uncovered even though my lids have holes in them?

Random I know if I forgot to cover a culture thats going well and come back its the only one that hasn't produced but when covered it starts again..

Alan I hear your whiteworm cultures are pretty legondary, do you line your wooden boxes? And where do you keep them?

[alanmin4304]

They are wood with a sliding plastic lid and I line the area in contact with the media (exhausted potting mix) with shopping bag plastic just to keep the wood from rotting for a bit longer. They need to be kept cool regardless of what you build them from.