Inhabitants

=**Compost bin inhabitants ** =  The vermi-compost is a specific ecosystem favorable for many detrivores, beside the worms. Some are necessary or beneficial to composting, such as Acarids and Mold. Others are harmful or just useless. All are annoying when proliferating.  Here are the appropriate response to each parasite : Very low ||  ** Mold **** Filaments ** Overpopulation || Compost is too Wet  ||  · add dry material  · stop or remove wet food  · remove mold || ** White or Brown Acarids ** Overpopulation ||^  ||^   ||  ** Collembola ** Overpopulation ||^  ||^   ||  · add dry food  || Presence of bread ||  · pour water  · add wet food  · remove bread || Presence of potatoes ||  · 4 weeks of dry material diet  · Remove fruit <span style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 15.55pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: -14.15pt;"> · Fruit Fly “Traps” || Presence of potatoes || <span style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 15.55pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: -14.15pt;"> · 4 weeks of dry material diet <span style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 15.55pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: -14.15pt;"> · Remove potatoes || <span style="display: block; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0.1pt; text-align: justify;"> <span style="display: block; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0.1pt; text-align: justify;"> <span style="display: block; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0.1pt; text-align: justify;"> <span style="display: block; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0.1pt; text-align: justify;"> <span style="display: block; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0.1pt; text-align: justify;">
 * <span style="display: block; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0.1pt; text-align: center;"> ** Harm-fulness ** || <span style="display: block; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0.1pt; text-align: center;"> ** Microorganism **  || <span style="display: block; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0.1pt; text-align: center;"> ** Problem **  || <span style="display: block; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0.1pt; text-align: center;"> ** Solution **  ||
 * Low ||
 * ^  ||  ** Woodlouse ** Overpopulation   ||  Too many wood  || <span style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 15.55pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: -14.15pt;"> · remove wood
 * ^  ||  ** Ants ** Presence   ||  Compost too dry
 * Medium ||  ** Fruit Fly ** Presence   ||  Compost wet
 * ^  ||  ** Fungus Gnat ** Presence   ||  Compost wet

<span style="display: block; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0.1pt; text-align: justify;">**Beneficial detrivores benefits:** <span style="display: block; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0.1pt; text-align: justify;"> <span style="display: block; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0.1pt; text-align: justify;">**Mold.** Molds are like bacteria, microorganisms that predigest waste. It is common to see them appear, especially at the start, mold form, in general, white filaments. They do not affect the correct functioning of the vermi-compost and disappear after a few days. Their appearance is often the source of a boost at the start of the vermi-compost. <span style="display: block; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0.1pt; text-align: justify;"> <span style="display: block; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0.1pt; text-align: justify;"> <span style="display: block; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0.1pt; text-align: justify;">**White and brown Acarids.** They measure less than 2mm. They are necessary but must not proliferate. They thrive when food is too abundant or very wet compost. <span style="display: block; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0.1pt; text-align: justify;"> <span style="display: block; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0.1pt; text-align: justify;"> <span style="display: block; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0.1pt; text-align: justify;">**Harmless detrivores :** <span style="display: block; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0.1pt; text-align: justify;"> <span style="display: block; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0.1pt; text-align: justify;">**Collembola.** Near visually white Acarid, can jump. Proliferate when the bin is too wet. <span style="display: block; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0.1pt; text-align: justify;"> <span style="display: block; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0.1pt; text-align: justify;"> **Ants.** Ants may come in the bin when the compost is too dry. They are also attracted by the bread or pasta.

<span style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0.1pt; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">**Harmful detrivores:** **Fungus Gnat.** Tiny insects with wings that can be found in association with a rich and moist soil. Their larvae feed on decaying organic matter and fine roots of young plants they may damage. Their favorite food is potato peel.

<span style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0.1pt; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> <span style="display: block; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0.1pt; text-align: justify;">**Fruit Fly.** It is distinguished by its brown body, one to two millimeters. They are attracted by fruits, where they lay their eggs and their larvae develop.

<span style="display: block; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0.1pt; text-align: justify;">**Woodlouse.** Feeding on plants and dead wood. In humid environments, they may attack living plants when exceptionally fragile. <span style="display: block; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0.1pt; text-align: justify;">**Avoid, get rid or simply reduce parasites population, several possible techniques:** <span style="display: block; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0.1pt; text-align: justify;">**1. Carbon and dryness cure:** give only dry and rich in carbon material, e.g. cardboard, paper, etc., and maintain a low moist level, for at least 4 weeks. <span style="display: block; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0.1pt; text-align: justify;">**2. Preventing infestation:** you can freeze and defrost food before giving it to the worms, which kill larvae in fruits and vegetables. Keep tightly closed the bin can also restrict access to adult parasites. <span style="display: block; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0.1pt; text-align: justify;">**3. Avoid food and conditions that attract parasites:** Avoid the potato to fight against gnats, fruit against the fruit fly, humidity with Collombola, Acarids and Molds. Avoid bread and dry compost for ants. <span style="display: block; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0.1pt; text-align: justify;">**4. Traps and tricks Controls:** You can make traps for fruit flies, with vinegar or juice. <span style="display: block; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0.1pt; text-align: justify;">**5. Physical Control:** Eliminate physically parasites and infested food. <span style="display: block; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0.1pt; text-align: justify;">**6. Biological control:** Find the natural predators of pests and place it in the bin. For example, the nematode is an enemy of the Fungus Gnat larvae. <span style="display: block; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0.1pt; text-align: justify;">**7. Random mix:** Place in the bin of fresh soil and materials that can include natural predators of parasites. <span style="display: block; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0.1pt; text-align: justify;">**8. Patience:** The contents of the bin and the populations of different organisms may also self-balance themselves after a while.