Is it normal for the worms that entered my compost pile to leave that compost pile at some stage?

[Growdo Baggins]

This was a winter pile so it progressed slowly. It's around 80% broken down now. A month or 2 ago when I turned and watered the compost pile it was loaded with worms. It's been loaded with worms every time I've turned and watered it. Today I went out there and it was dry, so I decided to turn and water it and there were barely any worms. There were some ants, not a lot. And a bunch of other stuff. But there was much less worms than a month ago. Is that normal? It's about 80% finished. You can still see some pieces of leaves and such, but it's mostly just black soil. It'll still cure, prob for another year. What do you guys think could be the reason they left? This is not a worm bin or a worm pile. I inoculated it with another compost that was loaded with worms, and they hung around all winter, until now. Thanks for the help guys.

 

[Creeperpark]

The worms used the heat from compost to stay warm during the Winter. If the conditions are not conducive for a worm population they will leave. If it's the wrong food, or too acidic, wet or dry, or a number of other reasons they will leave. Dig away from the compost pile a couple of feet and see if any are close.

 

[Growdo Baggins]

The worms used the heat from compost to stay warm during the Winter. If the conditions are not conducive for a worm population they will leave. If it's the wrong food, or too acidic, wet or dry, or a number of other reasons they will leave. Dig away from the compost pile a couple of feet and see if any are close.

I thought about that warmth for the winter thing. I'll check around for them. Maybe I'll test the ph of the compost.

 

[experienced]

Don't worry. The worms will have left plenty of eggs and will re-populate when conditions are right.

 

[Creeperpark]

They need a moist, organic substrate or “bedding” in which to live. They will eat the bedding and convert it into castings along with other feed. Moisture and oxygen are vital and bedding should be about as damp as a wrung-out sponge. A worm's skin is photosensitive and therefore they need a dark environment. Google

You can get a pretty good indication of your soil's health from the worms. I would say you probably let it get too dry or wet at some point. Worms don't like synthetic salts, or pesticide traces, or even tap water and if any was present they will leave. It can be hard sometimes to maintain a worm farm in a compost pile outdoors because of volatile conditions. I find more worms around the outside of the bin than in it.

 

[Timj]

As Creeperpark mentioned above.. It was because your pile dried out. The ants were a tell tale sign.

 

[St. Phatty]

It's the same deal with ants & termites.

Once they eat their way about 1/3 of the way through a tree, they abandon it.

Leaving it full of Insect Poop, AKA frass.

I think it's as simple as, the animals doesn't want to live in its own poop.

 

[GrayZone]

TLDR: They don't like your shit anymore.