CATDOLL : CATDOLL: What is the right humidity for earthworms?

1. What are the requirements of earthworms for their living environment?

1. The activity temperature of earthworms is 5-30℃, they enter a dormant state at 0-5℃, and die below 0℃. The optimum temperature is 20-27℃.

2. The humidity of the feed should be maintained at 70%. Earthworms use their skin to breathe, so their bodies must remain moist. Water in earthworms accounts for more than 75% of their body weight. Preventing water loss is the key to their survival.

3. They feed on decaying plants or other organic matter. They eat soil and sand to obtain organic matter. Earthworms grow in a pH range of 6-8 and produce the most cocoons.

2. How can I raise earthworms indoors in pots or wooden boxes?

Hello, to breed earthworms, you must first understand their habits. First, the humidity should be maintained at 60%-80%. Too high humidity can easily cause the earthworms to die due to poor tolerance. Second, the survival temperature is 0-32 degrees, and the best breeding temperature is around 20 degrees. Third, the breeding environment should have good ventilation. Fourth, the stability of the food. Due to the diversity of family breeding food, the pH value of the food is very important for the survival of earthworms. Earthworms can only live in a pH-neutral environment. After the above points are done, find a wooden box. The density of earthworms should not be too large. Add about 20 cm thick humus soil. Earthworms are very hardy and you can breed them with peace of mind.

3. How to artificially cultivate earthworms in large quantities?

1. Seed selection

It is understood that the earthworm variety suitable for large-scale breeding is Daping No. 2. The characteristics of this variety are that the body length can reach 50 mm to 70 mm, long life, more meat, high reproduction rate, and the body surface is purple-red, but the body surface color will also change with factors such as water and feed.

2. Feed preparation

1. Feed selection

There are only three types of feed suitable for large-scale farming: cow dung, pig dung, or cow dung and pig dung in any proportion.

2. Feed fermentation

Spread cow dung, pig dung or mixed dung on the flat ground to a thickness of 10-25 cm, and dry them until they are about 50% to 60% dry. Then pile up these dung racks. You can use rectangular or semi-cylindrical piles. Sprinkle 300 to 500 times of bacteria on each layer of dung (15-20 cm thick). Repeat this process for 4-7 layers until the water seeps out. If you use garbage, pile it up one layer of garbage and one layer of dung. The length and width are not limited, and it is covered with a film. In the season with high temperature, the temperature in the pile will generally rise significantly on the second day, and it can rise to 60-70℃ in 3-4 days, and then gradually decrease. When the temperature of the pile drops to 40℃ (this process takes about 15 days), turn the pile (turn the top to the bottom, the sides to the middle, and pile it again, and add EM such as gold bacteria). After the feed is fermented, the pH value is tested. The suitable pH value of earthworm feed is generally required to be 6.5-7.5, but the pH value of many animal and plant wastes is often higher or lower than this value. For example, the pH value of animal excrement is 7.5-9.5. Therefore, the pH value of earthworm feed should be properly adjusted to make it close to neutral to be suitable for the growth of earthworms.

3. Methods of preparing and adding nutrients to promote food

Take one cubic meter of base material as an example, take 100 kg of water, add 2 kg of urea, 4 liang of vinegar, 5 g of saccharin, and 4 caps of pineapple essence, mix and dissolve in water, first take 50 kg of water and pour it on the base material, turn the pile and then pour another 50 kg of water on the base material, and it can be used after two days. Add citric acid, essence, and saccharin to the earthworm feed, and adjust the earthworm feed to the sweet fruit flavor that earthworms love the most. From then on, earthworms not only do not escape, are not picky eaters, but also eat more, which greatly accelerates the growth rate and increases the yield.

4. Free Range

After the earthworm bed is ready, place the fermented feed horizontally on the earthworm bed in a strip of 50 cm wide, with no limit on length and 30 cm intervals. Wet the earthworm bed before placing the earthworm seeds, and then place the earthworm seeds in a place without feed. Add some water after release to facilitate earthworm activity. Avoid placing earthworm seeds after the earthworm bed is full of animal manure to avoid causing the earthworm seeds to die.

5. Daily Management

1. Temperature

Generally speaking, the most suitable temperature for earthworms is around 20-27℃, at which time they can grow, develop and reproduce better.

2. Humidity

Earthworms breathe through their skin, so their bodies must remain moist. Therefore, it is particularly important for earthworms to maintain a certain water supply. Earthworms have a poor ability to resist sudden dryness, and the optimal humidity for their breeding environment is 70-75%.

3. Air

The whole process of earthworm breeding requires sufficient fresh air. In order to keep the breeding bed in a loose and breathable state, the following measures can be taken: the thickness of the base material shall not exceed the specified height and shall be reduced when necessary; after a period of breeding, the base material can be properly turned over once, and the upper and lower layers of the base material can be turned over and replaced, which can make the lower layer of the base material loose and breathable, and help the upper and lower layers of the base material to have the same humidity.

4. Breeding density

The stocking density of earthworms is closely related to the type of earthworms, the growth period, the breeding environment conditions (such as food, breeding methods and containers), and the technical level of management. In a medium with an area of ​​one square meter and a height of 25 cm, the stocking density is: 15,000 to 20,000 seed earthworms, 80,000 to 100,000 from hatching to half a month old, and 30,000 to 65,000 from half a month to adulthood. Therefore, when breeding earthworms, it is effective to expand the breeding bed in time, adjust the breeding density, and remove the adult earthworms.

The above are all the technical points about large-scale earthworm farming today. Farmers who want to farm earthworms must make comprehensive considerations, as not everyone can market their earthworms.

4. Earthworms will die in a few hours in a dry environment

No more than 4 hours.

Earthworms like a humid environment, and the suitable humidity is 20% to 80%, with a wide range of humidity. Because earthworms absorb oxygen dissolved in water through their skin, it is most important to maintain a moist soil environment. If they are in a dry environment for a few hours, they will die. If they are placed on a cement floor under direct sunlight, they will die in a few minutes. The suitable temperature for earthworms is 6 degrees Celsius to 30 degrees Celsius. When it is below 5 degrees Celsius, they will enter a dormant state. When it is below -5 degrees Celsius, they will die. The highest lethal temperature is slightly lower than that of other invertebrates (such as 35 degrees Celsius for Eisenia fetida and 36 degrees Celsius for Heteroliphagus foetida). The suitable breeding temperature is 15 degrees Celsius to 25 degrees Celsius. The higher the temperature within this temperature range, the shorter the hatching time, but the hatching rate is reduced. Earthworms breathe by relying on oxygen diffused from the atmosphere to the soil, the oxygen in the bait, and the dissolved nutrients in the water. The more abundant and fresh the air, the more vigorous the metabolism, the faster the growth, and the more eggs they lay.

5. What is the suitable water content for earthworm growth?

1. Humidity The water content of earthworms is 70% to 80%. They usually maintain their balance by secreting body fluids. Therefore, they must live in a humid environment. The humidity adaptation range is 30% to 80%. For example, the suitable humidity for Pheretima Williamii (green earthworm) is 30% to 45%, while the suitable humidity for Eisenia fetida (red earthworm) is 50% to 80%. This habit of earthworms makes them live in burrows and nests. High or low humidity environments are not conducive to their normal survival. If the humidity is lower than the limit, the earthworms will be dehydrated and extremely atrophied, semi-dormant or die. On the contrary, they will die as the temperature rises.

2. Temperature Earthworms are cold-blooded animals and are very sensitive to changes in temperature. When the temperature drops to 10°C, earthworms stop eating; when it drops to 4°C, they enter a hibernation state; below 0°C, they will freeze or die. Generally, large and medium-sized earthworms hibernate deep underground; while small earthworms mostly gather in groups and form balls in warm soil to hibernate. When the temperature rises to 8-10°C the following year, they crawl to the surface to move around. Weak and shrunken earthworms have a very low survival rate and it is difficult for them to survive the spring. When the temperature exceeds 30°C, their growth is also inhibited, they quickly shrink, their body color becomes darker, and they burrow into the deep soil and do not move. When the temperature is above 35°C, they completely stop eating and enter a dormant state, their bodies completely shrink, and they feel extremely dull. Once the temperature drops, they can return to their original state. The best temperature is 20-25°C.

3. Diet Earthworms are omnivorous animals that can eat both meat and vegetables. The plant feed sources for earthworms are extremely rich. In artificial breeding, waste is almost always used to feed them in rural areas. The feed sources for earthworms include a variety of livestock and poultry manure, manure, grass, water plants, straw, etc., as well as leaves, waste vegetable leaves, rotten claw fruit, dregs, biogas residues, waste paper pulp, etc. There are also animal feeds, which have a more significant effect on the weight gain and reproduction of earthworms. For example, the leftovers and sewage after slaughter, the leftovers of meat and vegetables from canteens and restaurants are the feed sources that earthworms like.

4. Illuminance Earthworms are photophobic animals that hide during the day and move at night. They like to live in dark and humid soil environments. They are extremely afraid of direct ultraviolet rays, so they don't show up easily in sunlight or strong electric lights. They will only leave their nests and expose themselves when they encounter enemies, pesticide damage, flooding, high temperature, dryness, hypoxia, etc. But earthworms are not afraid of red light. The role of earthworms in nature: They can loosen the soil, increase soil organic matter and improve the structure. They can also promote acidic or alkaline soil to become neutral soil, increase fast-acting components such as phosphorus, and make the soil suitable for the growth of crops. Because earthworms are rich in protein, they can be used as feed for livestock, poultry and aquaculture to increase production. Earthworms also occupy a certain position in pharmacology. They are common Chinese medicinal materials with antipyretic, antispasmodic, activating, antiasthmatic, antihypertensive and diuretic effects. Earthworms can secrete a special enzyme that can decompose protein, fat and wood fiber. Therefore, leaves, straw, livestock and poultry feces, domestic garbage, activated sludge and waste from papermaking and food industries can all be its food. Earthworms can eliminate environmental pollution to a certain extent. Therefore, in recent years, many countries have established earthworm breeding factories and called earthworm breeding factories "environmental purification devices." Because earthworms can absorb trace metals such as mercury, lead and cadmium in the soil, the amount of these metal elements accumulated in the earthworms is 10 times the amount outside. Therefore, some scientists believe that earthworms can be used as monitoring animals for heavy metal pollution in the soil.

6. What is missing when the soil is too wet? How does it affect the earthworms?

Oxygen. In overly wet soil, there is more water and less air, which affects the normal breathing of earthworms.

1. Like warmth and fear heat

Earthworms like to live in a warm environment. They are afraid of both cold and heat. They hibernate at 0℃-5℃, stop growing at above 32℃, and die at above 40℃. The suitable temperature is 15℃-30℃, and the best temperature is 20℃-25℃. If we want to obtain good

To ensure breeding efficiency, the breeding environment must maintain an optimal temperature of 20℃-25℃ all year round.

2. Likes moisture and is afraid of soaking

Earthworms like to live in a humid environment, not too dry, but not too humid, and cannot be soaked (water earthworms

The hygrophilia mentioned here includes two aspects, one is the humidity of the breeding base soil, and the other is the air humidity. Generally, the humidity of the breeding base soil is required to be 40%-60% (it is better to hold the base soil with your fingers so that water can be seen but not flow down), and the relative humidity of the air is preferably adjusted to 60%-80%.

3. Like darkness and fear light

Earthworms like to live in the dark. They usually burrow under the soil or in the substrate to find food. They also crawl out of the ground at night to find food. They are afraid of light, so they develop the habit of hiding during the day and coming out at night. Although earthworms have no eyes and cannot see light, their bodies are covered with photosensitive organs. Strong light is extremely detrimental to the growth and reproduction of earthworms, so earthworms always move in the dark. The breeding environment should be selected in a dark place.

4. Prefer sweet and dislike spicy food

Earthworms like to eat sour, sweet, and fishy food, such as rotten tomatoes, watermelon rinds, rotten fruits, fish washing water, etc. They are most afraid of spicy food, such as green onions, garlic, peppers, etc. When feeding earthworms with urban household garbage, spicy food should be picked out before feeding.

5. Prefer quietness and fear of shock

Earthworms like to live in a quiet environment and are most afraid of vibration. The breeding farm should be selected in a quiet place. Do not vibrate or frequently turn the base soil up and down. Frequent vibration will have a negative impact on the growth and reproduction of earthworms.

6. Like acid and fear salt

Earthworms prefer to live in acidic or neutral soils or in water environments. They are most afraid of living near salt or alkaline soils.

Saline-alkaline water source. If you encounter saline-alkaline soil or water source, you need to adjust the pH. If it is too alkaline, use diammonium phosphate to adjust it, or you can use 2% coal water to adjust it, otherwise the earthworms cannot survive.