Worms to eat my garbage

So in the course of being more environmentally friendly, I decided to try indoor worm composting. What better way of having even less garbage than I have now? Plus, I get my own compost for my veggie garden – no icky smelling mushroom or animal manure for me. Off to Earth’s General Store I went and a mere $75 dollars later (eeks!), I walked out the proud mama of worms. Oooh. A new pet! D and I bragged to our respective families that they had new grandchildren – worms! My mother said until each one was named, she wasn’t counting them as grandchildren. Sighhh!

I had picked up a pretty stainless steel container from Lee Valley (ahhh – porn for gardeners) for beside the sink to gather the food scraps. Alas, the lid fit poorly and I could not get the smell of rotting food from the container when I washed it. I moved on to yogurt tubs in hope of adding more regularly and thus less smell.

Things seemed to be going well. The moisture level seemed fine (a miracle since I usually either drown or dehydrate my plants). The worms seemed to be doing a good job at eating everything. And then I started to notice the flies.

A side story here – I have a Bachelor’s of Science degree with a concentration in genetics. I spent many a semester in a lab working with fruit flies. I HATE fruit flies. They are harmless, but they are dreadfully annoying and they just circle and fly in front of you and I have memories of sitting alone at the back of the bus after lab, smelling like ether and watching fruit flies fly around my head because of that teeniest bit of hairspray I used that morning. Sighhh.

So yes, I had a few flies. Okay, I can deal with that. I tore apart the house looking for the fruit fly trap I had left over from last year’s banana infestation. I couldn’t find it, so over to Rona to buy some traps. I got these cute little pegs, which I immediately put one in, adding a second one two days later as I replaced the sticky parts. And then I noticed them in my bathroom. D was sent to Lee Valley for more traps. Then I noticed them in my kitchen. At this point, I am pissed. I do some research on the net. I am doing things well. I add some food and noticed tiny little red bugs on the lid. I try to squish them and instead they climb on me. EWWWWWWW!!!!! I manage to get them off me and into the nearest garbage can. More traps are put out.

At this point, the flies are driving me nuts, my curtains are dirty from squishing them, the windows are covered in live ones, the sills covered in dead ones, and the garbage can is covered in red bugs!

I do more research on the net. The red bugs are probably spider mites. Harmless, but annoying. The flies are mostly likely fungus gnats and not fruit flies (hence the traps not working so well). I have a few things to try to get rid of the bugs which may help. I am also thinking of getting a small dust buster to suck up the bugs on the window and on the sill. While I appreciate what bugs do, I just wish they would leave me and my house alone. Supposedly this is all natural, but I tell you, I have seriously considered finding a new home for my worms. I know D has thought what a stupid idea as well. One and half months in and already, I am not cut out to be a parent. Thank goodness for the cat. She makes me feel much better. I hope this doesn't count against my domestic goddess score. :)