Worms Update - Fruit Flies and Adding 2nd Tray

"Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana."
—Groucho Marx

For the last few weeks I've been noticing tiny fruit flies around the worm composter. Mostly little black dots on the wall behind it, and some in my face when I open it up. NOT a good thing! I read in my book that fruit flies are one of the biggest problems, and there are a couple of ways to try and fix it. The best way is to add another layer to the whole composter. Add moist leaves and/or shredded paper in a thick layer on top of any processing trays. Fruit flies tend to give up easily and won't fly through and out of that layer.

It's just over 2 months since I first started my worm composter, and I've been putting off adding the second layer anyway so I realized it is definitely time! In a new tray I added a little food in one corner, then about 3 or 4 inches of moistened dry leaves and a few more inches of moist shredded paper. Over top I laid the usual moistened newspaper (4 or 5 sheets thick).

It's been a couple of days now since I added the new tray and I have noticed a major reduction in fruit flies! I still see a couple, but NOTHING like before. I really think it worked.



Now I'm seeing some adventurous worms making their way upward and into the new tray, so obviously that second tray is my new working tray. I'm leaving the bottom one alone until they're all done with it and leave it, or it's all compost and ready to be added to the garden.

Since the 2nd tray is now my main working tray, I think I may need to add a third tray that is full of only the leaves and shredded paper, then just add food to the 2nd tray. That gives me one full tray on top all the time that is full of bedding matter only (no food) and should make certain that no fruit flies get out.

Another interesting note - today I drained off compost tea - the 'leachate' run off from the bottom. I turned the spout thinking maybe I'd have a little, and I filled this plastic container over four times!

I diluted it 50/50 and added it to my houseplants and mostly to my tomato plants outside. I have some potted flowers outside that got some too.

I have to say, there is a real cathartic effect of using certain junk mail as fiber for the worms. When you get some cheesy offer for a high interest credit card.... rip into strips, dampen and feed it to the worms! :) It's really very satisfying!

Worms are happy, I'm happy, so far so good!