Why Aren't My Worms Breeding?

Earthworm Reproduction Problems

Perhaps one of the biggest concerns new worm growers have is worm reproduction.  Which makes sense.  If your worms aren't making babies, you worm business isn't growing.

First of all, how do you know your worms beds aren't producing any new worms?  Maybe you haven't even noticed.  Here's what to look for:

• You don't see any worms coupled together, mating.
• You don't see any egg capsules.  Look for the small, rice-like shaped egg capsules throughout your worm bedding.  They generally are more prevalent during the warmer months.
• You don't see any tiny thread-like hatchlings.  If you do, treat them gently whenever you are into your worm bedding.
• You don't see any small, reddish youngsters.  The hatchlings turn pink in a day or so and they generally stay in squirmy groups.  (Don't confuse hatchlings with underfed or sickly worms, which is a whole other problem.)

If there aren't any mating earthworms, egg capsules, or tiny hatchlings in your worm beds, here are some of the common reasons:

• The bedding is unhealthy: Too wet, too dry, too acid, too alkaline, needs changing out.
• It's too cold.  When temps fall below 60 degrees, earthworms go dormant and will not breed.  If you can keep your worms in climate controlled housing, you'll keep your worms breeding all year.  Otherwise, the winter months will be down-time.
• The worms aren't happy for other reasons:  It's too noisy, for instance.

Keep an eye out for the breeding activity your worms and the egg production rate so you can rectify any of the above conditions that are in your control.  New worm production is the life's blood of any worm farm business.

Solve These Worm Breeding Problems

For information on how to solve your worm breeding problems, click here for a preview of my worm farming manual.  

You'll find more worm reproduction tips and how-to's, as well as all aspects of worm farming, in my "Worm Farm Manual".  Available in both download and hard-copy versions.