LSW are fickle to raise I found out. I'm switching to red wigglers and ENC. Both are composting worms and I have a reliable source of horse manure and hay. I have been told that horse/hay is one of the best mixes for bedding and feeding the worms. I am staying completely away from peat moss.
SpeckledSlab LIKED above post
No Luck - You have everything right to raise wigglers or ENC. My experience tells me that your problem is the peat moss. Do you or Techno have access to horse manure and hay or cow manure and some hay to place in your beds? Rabbit manure is excellant too.If either of you have an Attwoods, Tractor Supply, or Ag Co-op close buy you can get a bale of hay to add to the beds and compost it you should be fine.
I am a member of "raising worms for bait forum" and this site provides answers and reputable worm breeders or suppliers. You can even use grass clippings that is composted in a black trash bag for a month or so to get some bedding material. Be SURE that the yard has NOT been sprayed with HERBICIDE OR PESTICIDE that might carry over to the composting process.
When the premier peat moss killed my LSW I decided not to start over with them. I too noticed their slow, fickle breeding.
Just straight black kow, with no peat, will get you better results.
Also adding ground alfalfa pellets as a feed.
But they are too fickle for me to justify raising in bulk anymore. The demand for red wigglers is greater than it's ever been.
Probably the reason there's only one LSW breeder now, is due to this strain stopping reproduction for no valid reason... This worm has been sold to many farmers but only one has been able to produce them in bulk for the market. And even he can't produce very many and is always sold out.
Commercial worm farmer, but presently sold out until further notice.
Thanks guys I’m trying to decide what direction I’m going. I had to retire and money is tighter now. I have a little rabbit manure I added it to 2 of my beds
Trying not to mess with my red LSW, and just let them reproduce at whatever rate they want to.So now I'm back to buying European nightcrawlers. But I now am dumping the leftover crawler in with the LSW so I can raise both species together in one bin...I got nothing to lose at this point sense the LSW don't want to Cooperate.Lol
I just want fish bait. I had to retire so don’t have the money to run to the bait shot to buy bait now. My wigglers need to kick it in gear
Well, I raise mealworm also, and just wanted wigglers for something different and fun to do.But I can say, as for as reproduction goes the mealworms blows the wigglers out the water! If you can find a cheap source of oats and keep them indoors that would be the ticket.I can't say right now if shellcrackers like wigglers more than mealworm,because I always have used my meallworms for them, but I know bluegill love mealworms.
I tried meal worms too didn’t have much luck with them either guess I’m just not good at this stuff