Jumping spiders and other bugs, is this normal?
hello everyone, I'm new to composting and very excited and I also have lots of questions. First I have a tumbling barrel, when I open the acess door a lot of spiders and bugs come out is this normal? it also has a bad odor I followed the recommendation and added brown items and aired out but no luck. any suggestions please
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rainbowgardener
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 25279
- Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
- Location: TN/GA 7b
It is usual for there to be some bugs in a compost pile that sits on the ground. Pill bugs, earthworms, perhaps a few earwigs and/or cockroaches (I know, ugh, but that is where they belong and they are doing their detritivore job of breaking down garbage) would be the usual suspects. I don't see spiders in my compost pile. I haven't ever used a tumbler. What would be in there would be mostly only whatever insects/ eggs were in the garbage/ leaves/ whatever you put in it. The trouble is they don't have any easy way to get out. If in my compost pile, I put leaves in that happen to have a bunch of spider eggs attached, when the spiders hatch out, they just leave and go somewhere more suited to them.
Should NOT smell bad. The instructions were right about adding brown items and airing out. Keep doing it. One of the reasons for bad smell is too much water, water-logging (which keeps oxygen out). If the material in there seems very wet, you can try using paper towels as part of your browns.
Should NOT smell bad. The instructions were right about adding brown items and airing out. Keep doing it. One of the reasons for bad smell is too much water, water-logging (which keeps oxygen out). If the material in there seems very wet, you can try using paper towels as part of your browns.
I KNOW it's a bit wacky but if you compost on the ground go sit by your pile one night with a small flashlight. The pile is just alive with activity of the night time waste warriors!!
If I toss a fish rack onto the pile the " American Carion" beatle shows up out of no where and along with a few other specific critters will devour just about everything.
I just wonder what the Carion beatle does the rest of the time. Does it just wait for one dead thing to complete it's life cycle..
If I toss a fish rack onto the pile the " American Carion" beatle shows up out of no where and along with a few other specific critters will devour just about everything.
I just wonder what the Carion beatle does the rest of the time. Does it just wait for one dead thing to complete it's life cycle..