Mites? Help!

[clear]

I was moving my superworms to another tub and i noticed some tiny light brown bugs moving around. They look pretty much like a tiny termite that is about 1/32 long maybe a tiny bigger. My superworms are house at room temp with low humidity. I know this isn't the best description but its the best i can do without pictures.

Chris

 

[Paco]

I forget exactly what type of mite they are. Throw out the Media and replace with some fresh bedding. I believe they are just in the media and will not effect the worms, but don't quote me on that. I am currently cleaning worm cages myself today. Does you media get damp? Thats why the mites are around.

 

[clear]

It doesn't get damp, i use carrots as the water source. I cant just throw this media out it has baby supers in it!!!!!!!!

 

[Paco]

Is there some way you can screen them out. The baby supers should be bigger than the mites? So either screen all the supers out or try and screen all the mites out which would be much harder. How many carrot do you keep in your tubs. You would be suprised the moisture a carrot can release and if it's contact with something that will absorb moisture it can get pretty bad. Just because your entire media is not wet does not mean there are not sections where the carrots are that aren't damp. Just something to think about, not saying this is your situation.

 

[clear]

I probably dont have but 100 of them bugs, but they are so small they are to see. The supers are still very small and i have eggs in there also so....

 

[cwazy]

i dunno what to tell ya about your mite issue other than maybe just take a bit of a lost and loose some eggs and rid of the mites... i have read up alot on here that carrots produce alot of moisture... maybe try using a slice of potatoe insted?? i have no experience... just some reading around... *shrug* good luck!

 

[clear]

I dont even know if they are mites or what they are.

 

[Paco]

Sounds similar to mites that peole get in their bedding. The problem is they will keep laying eggs as well. So you might have to sacrifice the bedding and a few eggs. Chalk one up for exerience. I use a very shallow dish and fill it with water crystals to water my supers. I will be using veggi crystals here soon as well for as close to fresh veggies as you can get. Put them on top of the water crystals.

 

[clear]

How do you give superworms water crystals without the substrate getting wet?

 

[Paco]

How do you give superworms water crystals without the substrate getting wet?

Use a Shallow Dish thats just a bit deeper than the bedding. I don't like to fill it though use only a single layer or a few big chunks of water crysatls so either the worms eat them all within a day or 2 or they dry out by day 3 max, because if crystals are left to long in the dish the worms will crawl all over the crystals leaving waste and possibly contaminateing the crystals. But I find if you leave the right amount they will eat them before this can happen. Hope this helps.