What Do Worms Eat?
Worms are these long pink strings we often see crawling through the dirt. But what do worms eat? You’ll be happy to know what they eat helps with our environment.
Worms are known to mostly consume organic waste and decomposing food. There are microorganisms in the food waste that provide them with nutrients.
Without worms, old leaves and other organic waste would break down much slower. These tiny bugs help to increase the amount of water and air that gets into our soil. Additionally, while worms are eating, castings are left behind, which the soil is able to use as fertilizer.
What not to feed worms
It’s important to know that there is some waste that worms shouldn’t be eating. The foods you should avoid feeding them include:
- Onions
- Dairy foods
- Meat
- Citrus
The dairy foods that shouldn’t be fed to them include cheese, milk, and sour cream. You should also avoid feeding your worms anything oily or greasy, fat, or bones.
What to feed worms
While worms can’t eat the foods previously mentioned, there are a lot of other things that can be tasty treats for them. Some of what you can feed these bugs include:
- Tea leaves
- Vacuum cleaner dust
- Hair clippings
- Leftover vegetable scraps
- Vegetable peelings
- Crushed egg shells
- Fruit
- Unsweetened cereal
- Plain pasta
- Bread
Keep in mind that worms don’t like citrus peels, so avoid putting that in the compost bin. You should also keep out salty foods, as this can reduce their growth and damage their skin. (Source: UWM)
How often should I feed my worms?
The number of times you feed your worms will depend on the size of your bin. You may need to feed them once a week or every two days.
Monitor how fast the worms consume the food to determine the amount you feed them and the timing of when you feed them. If the worm bin smells bad, that can be a sign you’re overfeeding them.
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