Earthworm Science

Investigation #1: Establishing an Earthworm Colony

You have likely heard the term composting in your science classes. Composting is a natural process in which organic matter is converted into a soil-like product called compost. By composting household wastes, you are returning valuable organic matter and nutrients to the soil. Composting also helps you to reduce the amount of organic matter that enters landfill sites.

Vermicomposting is composting that uses earthworms as the key organisms in the recycling process. Using earthworms allows those of you living in apartments to compost organic wastes for your houseplants. Vermicomposting also allows you to compost on a year-round basis.

Challenge

Your challenge is to design and build a vermicomposter that will serve as a home for your earthworms.

You are free to choose the materials necessary to build a vermicomposter.

• Wash your hands when you are finished this activity.

• Always treat earthworms with dignity and respect.
• Keep earthworms moist at all times.
• Limit the number of times that you handle or touch your earthworms.

1. Your vermicomposter must be designed to keep your worms in a suitable habitat.

   Remember that earthworms are organisms and must be treated with dignity and respect.

2. Your team must develop a plan that addresses the following:
   
   
   1. What materials will you use to produce a suitable habitat for the earthworms and where will you locate these materials?
      
      
   2. How large a container will you need to build?
      
      
   3. What type of bedding material will you use and where will you find this material?
      
      
   4. What type of organic matter (food) will you give the earthworms?
      
      
   5. What do you have to do to take care of your earthworms?
      
      
   6. How will you keep their environment moist and how will you feed the earthworms during extended school holidays?
      
      
   7. Where will you get your earthworms?
      
      
   8. Where will you put the vermicomposter?
      
      
   9. How will you prevent fruit flies from invading your composter and the room?
      
      
   10. What are you going to do when the earthworms start reproducing and your vermicomposter becomes overcrowded?
       
       
   11. What will you do with the earthworms when you are finished with the Earthworm Science program?
       
       

CAUTION: Please do not release store-bought earthworms into the environment. Composting earthworms from a store may not be native to your part of the country. By releasing them into the environment, you will be introducing an exotic species, which could have a dramatic impact on the other earthworms in your area.