Wigglers

What is perhaps our most numerous species in the living collections joined the Museum with a single purpose: to feed the tiger salamander. Red worms, also known as red wigglers, make up the bulk of Scuba’s diet. But their job description has expanded to include reducing office waste and teaching about compost.

These wigglers are native to Europe but have been introduced around the world. They live in the top layer of soil where they eat decaying plant material. Their lifestyle makes them very adaptable to being indoor composting companions. “Vermicomposting,” the art of using worms to make compost, has become a popular way to recycle food waste like apple cores, tea bags, and wilted lettuce. With a simple Rubbermaid bin, a few handfuls of shredded newspaper, and a steady supply of food scraps, a colony of red worms will find a happy home in your kitchen (or in my case, my office).