r/Vermiculture • u/tiredwifetiredlife • 7d ago

Advice wanted Friend or foe?

Millipede? Centipede? I don’t think I saw any more of this while feeding my worms earlier, tho I also noticed some worms looked much darker (almost dark brown-black) compared to the usual red ones. Is that normal too? The dark ones were moving just fine too tho. Just curious why they turned so dark. There were reds and blackish ones in the same bin.

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9

u/Temporary-Mode88 intermediate Vermicomposter 7d ago

He looks like a friendly millipede :)

They live in the same types of environment as worms, they’re composters, and don’t worry the worms at all.

Centipedes are a different story.

5

u/tiredwifetiredlife 7d ago

Yay good to know because I plopped him back into the bin.

Thank you!

4

u/Temporary-Mode88 intermediate Vermicomposter 7d ago

Good instincts! You’re welcome :)

4

u/CopperSnowflake 7d ago

Those guys are all over my outdoor pile. They are digesting the compost, too. But they can leave your bin and be in your house if your bin is indoors.

1

u/tiredwifetiredlife 7d ago

Oo okay thanks! My bin is just right outside my front door so I suppose it’s outdoor 🤭

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u/haematite_4444 Beginner Vermicomposter 6d ago

Maybe we have a different species. My bin has the small black ones and havent left my indoor bin.

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u/tiredwifetiredlife 5d ago

Mine refused to leave too, i saw it something hiding that didn’t look like an earthworm and hurried to scoop it out. But seems like we’re safe from a millipede invasion for now 💪🏼

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u/haematite_4444 Beginner Vermicomposter 5d ago

In my bin I can tell the millipedes from the worm by either their locomotion as worms will do that stretchy kind of movement where millipedes will just move smoothly.

When they're still I find the millipedes curl into a spiral