In our Compost Safari sessions for schools, we look at the larger creatures that live, or may be found, in the compost heap or bin. These  creatures, sometimes known as Macro-organisms, physically break down the organic material by chewing, tearing and, in some cases, sucking it into smaller pieces and by eating and excreting material they make it more  digestible for microorganisms (Compost Microbes) which also digest theirexcrement.

When looking for compost creatures it is usually more successful  to use a cold compost bin as the hunting ground as the heat generated during the initial phases of hot composting does not make the hot bin a friendly environment for the creatures. Once a hot compost bin reaches the cool maturing stage it becomes more bug friendly

The creatures can be divided into three groups Primary, secondary and tertiary consumers based on what they eat. The primary consumers, mainly microorganisms (     ) eat the organic residues, the secondary consumers eat the primary consumers and the tertiary consumers eat the secondary.

*For identification information on UK native and non-native flatworms go to

http://www.record-lrc.co.uk/Downloads/5-2005%20-%20jones%20-%20british%20land%20flatworms[16012014].pdf

Microplastics in the soil can cause significant harm to soil the creatures that live in and maintain the fertility of the soil.  Mites, roundworms, springtails and other forms of microanthropod and nematodes are at risk from oil-based synnthetic waste ith some nites in heavily poluted areas . putting the soil food web at risk yet woven ( spun-bonded) plastic weed surpresent is still used on gardens. 

Ants nest in a compost bin. The white material is shredded paper.

Many people worry about having ants in their compost heap but ants contribute to the composting process by bringing fungi, and other organisms, into their nests as well as introducing minerals e.g. phosphorus and potassium.  Ants feed on a range of food including aphid honeydew (produced by aphids from  plant sap excreting), fungi, seeds, scraps and insects some of which are found in the compost heap. Compost provides some of these foods and it provides shelter for ants nests when cold composting techniques are being used or during the maturation stages of hot composting when the compost has cooled. Several species found in the UK including Lasius, Myrmica and Formica species

 Ants nests can be beneficial in a compost heap as they increase the biodiversity by bringing insects and fungi into their nests and their tunnels can assist airflow.

If the compost is almost finished it can be part containing the ant colony can be removed and spread on the garden where the ants will probably disappear with a few days. If there are only a few ants I would normally leave them if they or the nest are taking over the bin  probably the simplest way to get rid of them is to  douse the nest with cold water. This will have the advantage of increasing the moisture level of the compost as ants are often found in compost which is on the dry side.

It is also suggested that sprinkling coffee grounds or cornmeal onto the nest will discourage them

Wormeries

 Ants are less welcome in a wormery. They are omnivorous and will not normally harm the worms, but they will compete with the worms for the food. If there are relatively few ants, provided you adding enough food to keep the worms supplied as well as allowing the ants their share it might be acceptable to just ignore the ants and let them co-exist. Allowing the ants to compete for food may result in the worms becoming malnourished as the ants will compete for the sugars and fats in the feedstuff which are essential to the development in of the worms. Not removing the worms also means that when handling the compost your hands and arms are likely get covered with ants and some might take the worm eggs (cocoons) which will impact on the breeding programme.

Where ants have infested a stacking wormery it is possible to remove the trays containing most of the ants and the nest, disturb them using the hand fork and leave them exposed to the light which will further encourage them to leave. It should also be possible to hunt through the nest to find and remove the Queen. (Gloves should be worn)  The Queen will be much bigger than the other ants.   

It is said that sprinkling cinnamon cause the ants to disperse making it easier to remove the nest.  

 The consensus is that the presence of an ant’s nest is an indication of dry bedding. Although there are several cases on Internet forums where people state that their moist wormeries have been invaded.

The moisture level can be measure using a meter of estimate by squeezing the compost in the hand (Compost Moisture  ) but it is probably safest to assume that the bedding is on the dry side and moisten  it is using a water spray and turn it with a trowel or hand fork to disrupt ant colonies. Continue this process for a few days and most ants will move to a new home.

 As ants invade wormeries to gain access to readily   available food an invasion may  suggest  a review of the amount of food provided is necessary to ensure that the worms are not being overfed. Too much food left in the wormery may increase the acidity of the bedding which makes it more attractive to ants and less favourable to worms.

Ideally the bedding should be as close to neutral (ph7). If the bedding is acidic many suppliers of wormeries recommend the addition of a small quantity of lime. (which they sell!).  Some suppliers recommend treating the wormery with a small handful of lime every month, but this view is not shared by all.

 Preventative is better than cure.

 Moated wormery

One of the simplest ways of preventing ants occupying the wormery is to surround the wormery, or its legs, with water.    With a bin on legs each of the legs can be stood in a dish or a coffee jar of water to which a little washing up liquid has been added to reduce the surface tension.  Some recommend the use of mineral oil rather than water.

Sticky Goo

Alternatively, a commercially available ant goo, a sticky substance that is painted around the stems of rose bushes to trap ants can be used this is said to be  eco-friendly and does not contain any insecticide poisons   Vaseline can also be smeared round each leg.

These techniques will not only exclude ants but other creeping and crawling creatures as well, so it should only be used where ants are a problem.

Beetles are insects with two pairs of wings. Types commonly found in compost include the:

•  Rove beetle (staphylinids). There are 994 species of this large family of beetles living in the Britain. Adult rove and ground beetles prey on snails, slugs, and other small animals. Rove beetles are 2-30mm long, they are normally black or brown in colour, but some have red wing-cases and markings.
• Ground beetle (or carabids). There are 364 species of ground beetle living in the British Isles. Carabus violaceus has metallic-purple edges to the wing-cases and thorax. It is, 20-25mm long and feeds on slugs, leatherjackets and cutworms.
• Feather-winged beetles are the smallest beetles, usually a millimeter or less in length. Featherwing beetles live in compost heaps and leaf-litter as well as other habitats containing moist organic materials which will support the growth of the molds and fungal spores upon they feed.
  • Dung beetles. Some dung beetles can be found in compost heaps where they live on decomposing vegetation and on decaying fungi.

Centipedes

These are normally found in the top layers of the compost heap. Centipedes are flat, segmented worms with one pair of legs in each segment. They are tertiary consumers that feed on soil invertebrates, small worms, insect larvae, newly hatched earthworms plus insects and spiders, which may reduce the populations in the compost bin.

Cockroaches

he native species that may occasionally be found in the compost heap normally live in the leaf litter. They have relatively short legs and are slow in comparison with the introduced species. Cockroaches can eat relatively hard vegetable matter and have a symbiotic relationship to bacteria, hosting the bacteria in their body fat. 

 Some earthworm species live in accumulations of organic matter such as compost heaps. These include Eisenia fetida (brandling or tiger worm) and Dendrobaena veneta (These are the species most commonly used in wormeries).

Earthworms are the probably the most important of the physical decomposers in a compost heap. They eat organic matter, digest the bacteria on it, and excrete castings rich in nutrients such as calcium, nitrogen, magnesium and phosphorus. Their tunneling helps aerate the compost and their tunneling helps water, nutrients and oxygen to filter through the heap. 

Earwigs are easily seen with the naked eye. Some species are predators  while others feed on the decayed vegetation in the heap. Earwigs show a degree of parental care for their young protecting the nymphs, which look like smaller versions of the adult, from predators. Earwigs have characteristic  pair of   pincers   on the abdomen and membranous  wings  folded underneath short forewings. The hindwings  are said to resemble the human ear which might explain the name but many seem to prefer the old wives tail that earwigs burrowed into the brains of humans through the ear to lay their eggs     .

orms are relatively small and live in the films of water around the composting materials. They are scavengers that eat a wide range of materials including animal matter. For identification information on UK, native and non-native, flatworms go to:

http://www.record-lrc.co.uk/Downloads/5-2005%20-%20jones%20-%20british%20land%20flatworms[16012014].pdf

Flies are two-wing insects that feed on almost any kind of organic vegetation, detritus, including plant sap, blood, and other insects. Many types of flies, including black fungus gnats, fruit flies (see below), soldier flies, minute flies and houseflies can spend their larval phase in compost during the early stages of the composting process.  However, the maggots will not survive thermophilic temperatures. 

  Fruit Flies

Fruit flies are primary consumers during the composting process they are from one to two millimetres in size and they feed on the fruit acids. Their bodies are usually orange or light brown in colour and are their lower of their lower bodies have a bulbous shape. Fruit flies lay their eggs the adults lay their eggs on bananas and other fruits, which we buy. They can hatch while the fruit is in the house and when the skins are transferred to the compost bin or wormery, the flies develop. They can appear in a cloud of flies when the bin lid is removed. The flies are harmless but the cloud is often considered a nuisance. The numbers can be controlled by always keeping a layer of Browns e.g. shredded paper, cardboard or dry leaves on top of the heap.  Food waste should be buried at least eight to twelve inches below the surface of the compost. Alternatively, the flies can be caught in a simple banana skin trap and released away from the bin or wormery or studied in the classroom. (see http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/massdep/recycle/reduce/how-to-control-fruit-flies-and-fungus-gnats.html)

Fungus Gnats

Fungus gnats (sciarid flies) are small (about 1 mm) flies.They have black bodies which lack the bulbous shape of the fruit fly.The larvae are slender semi-transparent white maggots, up to 6mm long, with black heads. Their dark coloured gut contents may be visible to the naked eye or under a lens. The gnat larvae can damage indoor plants, seedlings and cuttings when contaminated compost is applied,

 Millipedes have segmented bodies, with each segment, except the front few, having two pairs of legs that move in waves.  Millipedes help break down plant material by eating the soft decaying vegetation as well as insect carcasses and excrement. 

 Mites are the second most common invertebrate to be found in compost. Some are visible to the naked eye while others are microscopic. They have eight leg-like jointed appendages.  Some of the mites found in compost scavenge on leaves, other organic debris and fungi.  

Fermentation mites, also called mould mites, are transparent-bodied creatures that feed on yeasts and soft plant material. They can survive in the anaerobic conditions of fermenting compost that can occur if the too many nitrogen rich “Greens” have been added to the bin.

Others species are predators feeding on nematodes, eggs, insect larvae, other mites and springtails.

Some of the mites that can be seen in compost are relatively fast moving and often light brown in colour. These tend to be predators.  

Slower moving mites, often reddish brown in colour appear to be attracted to  vegetables particularly those with a high water content cucumber, squash and melon http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-composting/a-mite-is-a-mite-is-a-mite-not-quite/  (If you are interested in Worm Composting I would recommend you sign up to this site  which was created by Bentley Christie, creator of Compost Guy, and Worm Composting Canada)

The third group identified in Red Worm Composting are White Shiny Round Mites that can easily be mistaken for “worm eggs”. In fact, they are smaller than worm cocoons. 

Nematodes

Nematodes are cylindrical microscopic creatures usually less than 1mm long and are most abundant of the physical decomposers. Some resemble small white threads while others are transparent. Some live on decaying organic matter; others are predators of bacteria, fungal spores, protozoa and other nematodes.

Rotifers

Rotifers are minute worms that live in the water, which adheres to plant material in the compost bin where they feed on microorganisms. Their bodies are round and divisible into three parts: a head, trunk, and tail.  They usually have one or two groups of vibrating cilia on the head. 

Potworms

Pot worms (enchytraeids) are small-segmented white worms, growing to 10-25mm, which are found in large numbers in wormeries and compost heaps.

Adults measure about a quarter of an inch, and can literally appear to be in the millions in comparison to your red wiggler worm population. This species prefers a moist acid environment and feed mainly on fungi, decomposing vegetation, and bacterial.  

It is said that potworms can be removed from compost, or caught for a demonstration, by adding a piece of bread soaked in milk, which will attract them and can removed taking the worms with it.

Protozoa

Protozoa are single-celled and microscopic organisms. They obtain their food from organic matter in much the same way bacteria they play a much smaller part in the composting process but because they are present in smaller numbers than bacteria.

Pseudoscorpions

Pseudoscorpions are arachnids, between 2-8mm in size, that resemble miniature scorpions but without a tail or stinger. They hunt nematode worms, mites, larvae, small worms and other small invertebrates using smell and vibration, seizing the prey with their front claws before injecting them with poison. 

Springtails

Springtails (or Collembola) are tiny, less than 6 mm, wingless insects named because of their ability to jump. Most species have an abdominal, spring-like appendage that is folded beneath the body that is used for jumping. It is held under tension and it is released when the animal is threatened and strikes against the substrate, flinging the springtail up to 20cm into the air (and hopefully safety?). There are around 250 species in Britainand they tend to be very numerous in compost. They chew on decomposing plants, pollen, grains, and fungi. They also eat nematodes and droppings of other arthropods. then meticulously clean themselves after feeding.

Snails and slugs. Are molluscs that travel in a creeping movement. Snails have a spiral shell with a distinct head and retractable foot. Slugs do not have a shell and are somewhat bullet shaped with antennae on their front section.

They feed primarily on living plant material, but they will also east mould and vegetable matter and plant debris in the compost heap.

Slugs

 Slugs vary in size from the grey field slug (Deroceras reticulatum), which is no more than 5cm (about 2in) long, to the large black slug (Arion ater), which can be 12cm (about 5in) when fully extended. Some slugs vary in colour;  Arion ater can be black, orange-brown or buff coloured. Most slugs live in or on the soil, compost bin or wormery surface and remain active throughout the year, they are most active at night or in wet weather.

 Snails

Snails are soft-bodied mollusks, with a hard shell, they can eat  leaves, stems and flowers of many plants and are dormant during the autumn and winter. Damp warm increases their activity and they are most active at night and in  wet weather.

The common garden snail, (Cornu aspersum) as its name implies is the species most frequently found in gardens. The Banded snails (Cepaea species), which are a little smaller and often brightly banded brown, white and yellow cam also be  numerous

Spiders

Spiders are eight-legged creatures and third-level consumers that feed on insects and small invertebrates. Spiders are the largest order of arachnid, with over 40,000 classified species and numerous spiders can be found in the compost bin. As predators  they have a role to play in helping to create balance in the compost bin by controlling  the populations of other compost creatures that may slow the composting process, e.g. by eating Springtails which feed on and reduce the fungi which are Level. Web-building spiders can be found in the corners of the bin or inside the lid. While the free travelling Wolf spider is commonly found in the compost bin.

Woodlice (Sow bugs, pillbug, roly-poly, slaters potato bug) have a flat and oval body with distinct segments and ten pairs of legs. There are several species of woodlice commonly found in gardens and compost. They are usually grey in colour and up to 1cm long with the body segments sometimes flecked with yellow or pinkish brown markings. Some species, known as pillbugs, can roll themselves into a ball as a defensive mechanism.

They are first-level consumers that feed on rotting woody materials and other decaying vegetation in the compost bin. As such  woodlice are beneficial to the composting process feeding  on decaying vegetable matter. They are  not considered a problem and I would expect to see a few when removing the plastic sheeting cover or when turning the compost. 

 Coffee Grounds attracting woodlice in the compost bin?

 Sometimes, when batch composting,  I do not have the time to fill a bin in one go and it has to be left for a few days before the additional layers can be added.

One such  partially filled bins had been left with coffee as the top layer for 5 days when I run out of time when layering it having reached about threequarters capacity. The bin was covered with plastic sheet until the next layer could be added. When checking the bin, which had about 50% moisture content, we found masses of woodlice in the coffee layer. There were not excessive amounts elsewhere in the bin, giving the impression that they had been attracted to the coffee. Distribution was normal in adjacent bins.

 I am concerned at the presence of woodlice as the first time the bin is turned the coffee layer will be distributed throughout the bin and the woodlice will return to their usual distribution in the organic material.

However, I can find no reference to woodlice being attracted to coffee has anyone experience of coffee drinking woodlice ? If so please comment.

Worms

Many kinds of worms, including earthworms, nematodes, red worms and potworms eat decaying vegetation and microbes and excrete organic compounds that enrich compost. Their tunneling aerates the compost, and their feeding increases the surface area of organic matter for upon which the microbes can act. As each decomposer dies or excretes, more food is added to web for other decomposers.  Red worms are surface-dwelling worms These Epigeic species are poor burrowers and prefer to live and feed in the loose, surface and litter layers of soil they are found in the compost heap during the cooler phases and are traditionally used in wormeries

 The compost heap or bin may also provide a temporary home to larger creatures.  wildlife might appear in your compost heap.

Frogs, Toads and Newts may be occasional visitors or even use a compost heap for hibernating over winter so be careful when turning it.

Slow worms eat slugs so the bin may well provide a convenient lunch spot and if it is on the dry side a welcome home. If you find you have slow worms living, and breeding in the bin, do not disturbed them.

Grass snakes  also be found in the compost heap and will occasionally lay eggs in the compost. If you find leathery white eggs in the compost start another bin or heap so as to avoid disturbing them at least until late summer.