- No bedding on top of worms. A layer of moist bedding should have been placed over the top of the worms and pulled back to add food each day then replaced. The bedding got worked into the mix over time and I didn't replace it causing the worms to get dry and expose them to the elements.
- They starved. Most vermicomposting information suggests that you weigh your food scraps for 1 week prior to getting started so that you have a good idea what 1/2 pound of food scrap per day looks like. We go through so much food scrap that I skipped this essential step an instead added food scrap as it was produced. When the funky smell started in the worm inn I found about half of the worms were stringy and thread thin in the middle.
- They might have been exposed to a bit of direct sunlight...a major problem for creatures used to living in the dark damp earth.
It is upwards of 90 degrees here now and I am at am conflicted about getting more worms at this point as they need to stay cool and would be moved inside the house.
