Vermicomposting Quiz Answer Key

Vermicomposting Quiz Answer Key

1. The clitellum is important for worm
2. Digestion
3. Movement
4. Reproduction
5. The temperature of a worm compost bin should be
6. About 140°F
7. About room temperature
8. Just above freezing
9. Worms eat on average
10. Twice their weight in food each day
11. Their weight in food each day
12. Half their weight in food each day
13. How many “hearts” does a worm have?
14. Five
15. Three
16. One
17. When a worm moves, what causes the worm to stretch forward?
18. The long muscles contract.
19. The circular muscles contract
20. The clitellum secretes mucus
21. Baby worms hatch from
22. Eggs
23. Cocoons
24. Seeds
25. Worms breathe through their
26. Clitellum
27. Lungs
28. Skin
29. Worms are
30. Either male or female
31. Both male and female
32. Neither male or female
33. The bristles on worms that act as brakes are called
34. Legs
35. Setae
36. Ganglia

1. Name at least two benefits of worms.
   Accept any reasonable answer such as: aerates the soil, provides nutrients to the soil, channel water through the soil and reduce runoff, recycle/compost waste materials.
2. The best placement of a worm bin would be
3. Inside your home in or near the kitchen
4. Outside in a bright sunny location
5. In the garage or under a carport

True or False: For each statement, circle True or False.

1. All food scraps can be composted by worms.

1. Holes should be made in plastic bins to provide ventilation.

1. Vermicomposting requires expensive multitiered bins.

1. The presence of numerous cocoons is an indicator of a healthy bin.

1. Worms must be fed every day.

1. Worm castings when applied to plants release nutrients quickly.

1. Describe two ways of harvesting finished compost from a worm bin while preserving the worms to start a new bin.

Accept any reasonable answers.
Material from the worm bin can be dumped in a cone shaped pile on a large sheet of plastic. As the worms retreat from the light to the center of the pile carefully remove the outer layer of compost from the pile until what is left is mostly worms.
Don’t feed the worms for several days or until all food has been consumed. Then put food is one corner. When the worms migrate to the food, remove the finished compost from the opposite side of the bin and replace it with new bedding. When the food is gone, repeat the procedure putting food at the opposite side of the bin in the new bedding and harvest the finished compost when the worms have migrated to the new food.

A similar method is not to feed the worms until all food is gone. Then put the worms favorite food in a mesh bag and bury it in the pile. When the worms have come to the food, remove the bag (with the worms and food) and place in a new bin or in a container until you collect the finished compost from the bin and then put new bedding and return worms to original bin.

Use a mechanical separator. This is generally harder on the worms as it involves sifting the finished compost through a wire mesh. Also if compost is very wet, it tends to clump and not fall through the mesh.