Here are some reasons your worms may be climbing to the top of the bin:
- Fresh worms are restless. Did you just receive your worms in the mail? It could take a week or 2 for them to settle down and stay down.
- Strong foods. Did you add lots of fresh food that might irritate your composting friends? Fresh coffee grounds, chili peppers, or citrus peel contain strong oils that can irritate worms. Too much in the bin can cause mutiny.
- Cold temperatures. What temperature range is your bin environment? Composting worm bins need to be in the shade and ideally at temperatures between 50 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Too hot or too cold, and they want to beat it.
How to calm down climbing worms
- Place lots of shredded paper on top of the contents of the worm bin. This creates a dry barrier that helps keep worms down. If the bin is too wet, it will absorb the moisture. And, eventually, it will be used by the worms.
- Pre-compost worm food instead of adding fresh kitchen scraps straight to the bin. Any oils or other strong substances have a chance to break up a bit before getting to the worms.
- If the nights are getting cool, place an electric heating pad on top of the material in the worm bin. Set the pad on the lowest setting, so you don’t cook your worms. I do this in the winter, because my house gets very cold at night.
- For heat or cold, insulate the bin. Styrofoam insulation sheets placed around and on top of the bin can provide protection.
