To begin the vermiculture process, you will need several items including:

·Raw fruits and vegetables
·A shallow container (24″ X 18″ X 8″ should suffice) with a lid
·Moist Leaves
· Worms, preferably red worms,such as Eisenia foetida or Lumbricus rubellus

To begin the vermiculture process, you should purchase a hefty amount of red worms. Two pounds, which is equal to around 2,000 worms, should suffice. Red worms can be purchased from a number of online retailers or at most plant and pet stores. Next, wash out the container or bin that you are using. If you have a wooden bin, line the bottom of it with sturdy plastic such as a heavy trash bag or shower curtain. Mix the organic materials together and add the worms. It takes roughly 3-5 months for the worms to eat through the materials. At this time, you will notice very little materials and a hefty amount of compost. Once this happens, it’s time to harvest.

Harvesting means — do not add any food to the bin for two weeks. When two weeks has passed, simply move all of the worm bin contents to one side of the bin and remove any large pieces of undecomposed materials. Add fresh materials – leaves, fruits and vegetables, to the empty side of the bin. Over the next two weeks or so, the worms will begin to move to the side where the new materials are located, leaving their compost behind. All that is needed at this point is to remove the old compost and replace it with fresh materials. Cover the new side of the composting bin to encourage the worms to migrate to the new side.

When you are ready to use your fresh worm compost, you can use several methods of extraction, but one method in particular seems to be the most effective. Dump the entire contents of the bin onto a large sheet of plastic and make several piles. Once exposed to the light, the worms will quickly bury themselves in the bottom of the compost within 2-3 minutes. After a few minutes, remove the top layer of compost, leaving the worms on the bottom. Once you have removed all of the worm compost, simply collect the worms and return them to the composting bin.

Worm compost material is ready to use immediately or if you choose, you can store it for later use. Worm compost can be added directly into your potting soil or mixed in with your garden soil as a soil amendment. If you notice a worm or two in the compost, don’t be alarmed. This is fairly common. Worm compost use is not limited to outdoor gardening. You can also use worm compost in the tops of your indoor plants. And don’t worry, the odor is not offensive.

The different types of worms include sandworms, leeches, and earthworms, to name just a few. Segmented worms (phylum Annelida) have elongated, cylindrical bodies that are segmented or divided by grooves, both internally and externally. The earthworm is the largest and most varied group of segmented worms in the world. Just think, there are more than 2,700 different types or earthworm living in every corner of the earth today. Earthworms can be found in just about every corner of the earth. They live in trees, in bark, and under rocks as well as along rivers and near springs, and ponds. Their favorite place to live, however, is in the earth’s rich soil. During the winter months they burrow deep within the earth until the surface warms again during the spring. During the warm summer months, worms stay closer to the tops of soil where they create tunnels to wiggle in and out of. These tunnels are extremely important for plant life as they create a path for water and air, which is essential for the survival of plant life.

Places like China, Australia, Greenland, and the Sahara Desert have their own indigenous species of worms. Besides the Sahara Desert, you won’t find large numbers of worms living in “sandy” areas, especially sandy beaches. The vast majority of worms on our planet can only survive under certain environmental conditions.

Worms have no lungs, so they breathe through their skin. This means that the worm’s environment and skin must be moist at all times. This allows the worm to breathe in oxygen. If the worm’s skin dries out, the worm will die from suffocation. While worms need moisture to survive, too much moisture can be fatal. If too much water is present, it takes the place of oxygen, which will cause the worms to flee to the surface. Once on the surface, worms will be exposed to sunlight. If worms remain in the sunlight for too long, they can become paralyzed.

In addition to needing a moist environment for survival, worms must also remain close to their food supply. Worms feed off leaves and dead grass, which contain organisms that provide a healthy diet of bacteria, algae, and fungi. Worms feast on dirt as well, especially if they live deeper inside the earth. Worms also eat plants, fruits, and vegetables.

Although you cannot see them, believe it or not, worms do have mouths. The worm’s mouth is actually big enough and powerful enough to grab a leaf and drag it around. They also have a pharynx, esophagus, crop, gizzard, and intestine. When the worm eats its food, it pulls the materials into its mouth with the help of the pharynx and its prostomium (also called acron). This creates a suction motion. This suction motion aids in helping the worm consume large amounts of food in a sort amount of time. The gizzard grinds the food. Worms eat so much that they typically produce excrement equal to their own weight every 24 hours.

The worm’s moist, sustenance rich environment plays an extremely important role in reproduction as well. Worms prefer to mate and reproduce in warm moist soil, away from the light.

Worms have mouths, but they cannot be seen with the naked eye. Although small, the worm mouth is actually powerful enough to carry a leaf 10 times the worms’ size. Worms also have a pharynx, esophagus, crop, gizzard and intestine. When the worm consumes a meal, it pulls the materials into its mouth with the help of the pharynx and the prostomium, also called “acron”. This creates a suction motion. This suction motion aids in helping the worm consume large amounts of food in a short amount of time. The gizzard grinds the food. Worms eat so much that they typically produce excrement equal to their own weight every 24 hours.

Facts About Worms

While a lizard will lose its tail as a means of protection, if a worm loses either end (the anterior or the posterior) it’s usually at the hands of a predator, an unfortunate accident or a curious human that believes the worm will regenerate if they chop it in half. Unlike lizards, the worm protects itself from predators by clinging to the soil with its bristles, burrowing into the ground or coiling when picked up. Worms also use camouflage as a means of protection. Before we discuss how a worm really regenerates, here is a bit of information about the anatomy of a worm, where they live, and how they survive.

Earthworms can be found at just about every corner of the earth. They live in trees, bark, and under rocks, and along rivers, near springs, and near ponds. Their favorite place to live, however, is in the earth’s rich soil. During the winter months they burrow deep within the earth until the surface warms again during the spring. During the warm summer months worms stay closer to the tops of soil where they create tunnels to wiggle in and out of. These tunnels are extremely important for plant life as they create a path for water and air, which is essential for the survival of plant life.

Worms of all kinds can be found all over the world, especially earthworms, which have 2,700 species. Places like China, Australia, Greenland, and the Sahara Desert have their own indigenous species of worms. Besides the Sahara Desert, it is unlikely that you will find large numbers of worms living in “sandy” areas, especially sandy beaches. You see — the vast majority of worms can only survive under certain conditions.

For starters, worms have no lungs. This means, they breathe through their skin, so the worm’s environment and the worm’s skin must be moist at all times. This allows the worm to breathe in oxygen. While the sand may be moist and wet closer the water, the majority of the sand is dry. If the worm’s skin dries out, the worm will die from suffocation. In addition, too much moisture can also be detrimental to worms. If too much water is present, it takes the place of oxygen, which will cause the worms to flee to the surface. Once on the surface, worms will be exposed to sunlight. If worms remain in the sunlight for too long, they can become paralyzed.

All major nervous, circulatory, and digestive organs are located near the head. The posterior segments, which are nearly identical to each other, contain peripheral structures for all of these systems. This means that if you cut the worm in half, it will die. However, if you cut the worm near the posterior portion (a third or less away from the very end) the worm can regrow that portion of its body. The posterior portion will not grow a new head.

Worms have mouths, but they cannot be seen with the naked eye. Although small, the worm mouth is actually powerful enough to carry a leaf 10 times the worms’ size. Worms also have a pharynx, esophagus, crop, gizzard and intestine. When the worm consumes a meal, it pulls the materials into its mouth with the help of the pharynx and the prostomium, also called “acron”. This creates a suction motion. This suction motion aids in helping the worm consume large amounts of food in a short amount of time. The gizzard grinds the food. Worms eat so much that they typically produce excrement equal to their own weight every 24 hours.

Facts About Worms

While a lizard will lose its tail as a means of protection, if a worm loses either end (the anterior or the posterior) it’s usually at the hands of a predator, an unfortunate accident or a curious human that believes the worm will regenerate if they chop it in half. Unlike lizards, the worm protects itself from predators by clinging to the soil with its bristles, burrowing into the ground or coiling when picked up. Worms also use camouflage as a means of protection. Before we discuss how a worm really regenerates, here is a bit of information about the anatomy of a worm, where they live, and how they survive.

Earthworms can be found at just about every corner of the earth. They live in trees, bark, and under rocks, and along rivers, near springs, and near ponds. Their favorite place to live, however, is in the earth’s rich soil. During the winter months they burrow deep within the earth until the surface warms again during the spring. During the warm summer months worms stay closer to the tops of soil where they create tunnels to wiggle in and out of. These tunnels are extremely important for plant life as they create a path for water and air, which is essential for the survival of plant life.

Worms of all kinds can be found all over the world, especially earthworms, which have 2,700 species. Places like China, Australia, Greenland, and the Sahara Desert have their own indigenous species of worms. Besides the Sahara Desert, it is unlikely that you will find large numbers of worms living in “sandy” areas, especially sandy beaches. You see — the vast majority of worms can only survive under certain conditions.

For starters, worms have no lungs. This means, they breathe through their skin, so the worm’s environment and the worm’s skin must be moist at all times. This allows the worm to breathe in oxygen. While the sand may be moist and wet closer the water, the majority of the sand is dry. If the worm’s skin dries out, the worm will die from suffocation. In addition, too much moisture can also be detrimental to worms. If too much water is present, it takes the place of oxygen, which will cause the worms to flee to the surface. Once on the surface, worms will be exposed to sunlight. If worms remain in the sunlight for too long, they can become paralyzed.

All major nervous, circulatory, and digestive organs are located near the head. The posterior segments, which are nearly identical to each other, contain peripheral structures for all of these systems. This means that if you cut the worm in half, it will die. However, if you cut the worm near the posterior portion (a third or less away from the very end) the worm can regrow that portion of its body. The posterior portion will not grow a new head.

Once the larvae mature the peach twig borer can damage stone fruits by feeding in shoots and causing shoot strikes. They may also feed directly on the fruit. When the peach twig borer attacks young, developing trees, shoot damage can be severe. Hungry borers feed so vigorously that they end up killing the terminal growth. This results in undesirable lateral branching.

There are several ways to manage peach twig borer infestations. You may use timed treatments of insecticides such as Bacillus thuringiensis, spinosad (Entrust, Success), methoxyfenozide (Intrepid), and diflubenzuron (Dimilin). Mating disruption with sex pheromones is also useful. Biological control is effective as the peach twig borer has 30 species of natural enemies such as the gray field ant. This ant preys on the peach twig borer during the spring and summer months.

If you are interested in organic methods of peach twig borer control, look no further than bloom time Bacillus thuringiensis sprays, sprays of the Entrust formulation of spinosad, and mating disruption. These are all organically acceptable methods for peach twig borer control.

Sources: University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources
www.ipm.ucdavis.edu.

If you have a computer that is infected, you will need to use an uninfected computer to download a specialized Conficker removal tool from. The tool is available here:

http://www.symantec.com/security_response/writeup.jsp?docid=2009-011316-0247-99

Or, you can restore access to security web sites on an infected machine by taking the following steps:

Click Start > Run.
In the Run box, type the following: cmd
Click OK.
Type the following and then press Enter. cd..
Repeat the previous step until you get to the root level, or C:\>. Note that if your root drive is not C, the letter will be different.
At C:\> type the following: net stop dnscache
Press Enter. This disables the domain blocking feature of Conficker and you should now be able to reach security Web sites including ours. You should now be able to download the Conficker removal tool here.

Advice to Stay Safe from the Downadup Worm:Run a good security suite (we are partial to Norton Internet Security 2010 and Norton 360 Version 4.0).
Keep your computer updated with the latest patches. If you don’t know how to do this, have someone help you set your system to update itself.
Don’t use “free” security scans that pop up on many web sites. All too often these are fake, using scare tactics to try to get you to purchase their “full” service. In many cases these are actually infecting you while they run. There is reason to believe that the creators of the Conficker worm are associated with some of these fake security products.
Turn off the “autorun” feature that will automatically run programs found on memory sticks and other USB devices.
Be smart with your passwords. This includes
Change your passwords periodically
Use complex passwords – no simple names or words, use special characters and numbers
Using a separate, longer password for each site that has sensitive personal information or access to your bank accounts or credit cards.
Use a passwords management system such as Identity Safe (included in Norton Internet Security 2010 and Norton 360 Version 4.0) to track your passwords and to fill out forms automatically.
Run Norton Internet Security 2010, Norton AntiVirus 2010 or Norton 360 Version 4.0. You can also try Norton Security Scan.

What makes a glow worm glow?
A light meal!

What did the maggot say to his friend when he got stuck in an apple?
Worm your way out of that one!

What’s yellow, wiggles and is dangerous?
A maggot with attitude!

Why was the glow worm unhappy?
Because her children weren’t that bright!

What do worms leave round their baths?
The scum of the earth!

What do you get if you cross a worm and an elephant?
Very big worm holes in your garden!

What reads and lives in an apple?
A bookworm!

What happened to the glow worm who was squashed?
He was de-lighted!

What’s a glow worms favorite song?
Wake me up before you glow glow!

Why did the sparrow go to the library?
It was looking for bookworms!

What is life like for a wood worm?
Boring!

What did the woodworm say to the chair?
It’s been nice gnawing you!

What do you get if you cross a worm and a young goat?
A dirty kid!

What did the maggot say to another?
What’s a nice maggot like you doing in a joint like this!

Why are glow worms good to carry in your bag?
They can lighten your load!

What do you get if you cross a glow worm with a python?
A 15 foot strip light that can strangle you to death!

What is the best advice to give to worm?
Sleep late!

What’s the difference between a worm and an apple?
Have you ever tried worm pie?

What do you get if you cross a glow worm with some beer?
Light ale!

Why do worms taste like chewing gum?
Because they’re wrigleys! –www.ahajokes.com

The Following Worm Jokes Are From “The Chevron Cars” Website: http://www.chevroncars.com/learn/fun-games/worm-jokes

Q. How can you tell which end of a worm is which? A. Tickle it in the middle and see which end laughs!

Q. What do worms leave round their baths? A. The scum of the earth.

Q. What do you call it when worms take over the world? A. Global Worming.

Q. Why did the worm cross the playground? A. To get to the other slide.

Q. What kind of worm do you use for math? A. An Inch Worm

Q. What was the worm doing in the cornfield? A. He was going in one ear and out the other.

Q. What do you get if you cross a glow worm with a python? A. A 15 foot strip light that can strangle you to death!

Q. What is worse than biting into an apple and finding a worm? A. Biting into an apple and finding a half of a worm!

Q. What happens to a worm who digs too far? A. It gets in-dig-estion

Q. What do you get when you cross a worm with an elephant? A. Big holes in your garden.

Besides the bright tip and the white tub, you won’t find much else on a tubeworm. They have no eyes, mouth, or stomach. According to the University of Delaware Graduate College of Marine Studies, “tubeworm survival depends on a symbiotic relationship with the billions of bacteria that live inside of them. These bacteria convert the chemicals that shoot out of the hydrothermal vents into food for the worm. This chemical- based food-making process is referred to as chemosynthesis.”

While the tubeworm does not have a mouth in its mature stage, it does have a mouth and a stomach in its earliest stages. During this time, bacteria enters through the mouth and gut, so they have stores. As the worm grows, the mouth and gut disappear.

The University of Delaware states that “while the tubeworm depends on the bacteria that live in its body for energy and food, sometimes tubeworms provide food for other deep-sea dwellers. Fish and crabs may nibble off the tubeworm’s red plume.”

For more information tubeworms or to view images and a video, visit Voyage to the Deep at http://www.ceoe.udel.edu/deepsea/home/home.html.

Caterpillars are often described as “wormlike” creatures. They do have some similarities to worms, but mostly differences. Two of the most obvious similarities between worms and caterpillars are their soft bodies, meaning they do not have a skeletal system, and their nocturnal nature. Depending on the species of worm, some caterpillars and worms may also be similar in length. Some caterpillars may grow up to three inches or more.

There are literally thousands of different species of worms and more than 2,700 species of earthworm alone. Like earthworms (annelida), caterpillars have segmented bodies. Another similarity between caterpillars and worms is caterpillars and worms are a favorite food for other animals. They are both protein rich and some worms, such as the white worm or “pasta worm”, are raised specifically for feeding to other animals such as fish. Worms and caterpillars are known for having hearty appetites. Their appetites are so hearty that they have earned the name “pest” by farmers around the globe. Depending on the type of worm or caterpillar, they can eat through crops of all kinds, plants, trash, and even inedible materials such as cotton.

Worms and caterpillars have to defend themselves against a wide variety of predators quite regularly. Because of this, each animal has no choice but to utilize a wide variety of techniques to ward off attacks. Worms protect themselves in several ways. If their attackers hunt for them below ground, worms will quickly withdraw into their burrows. If a worm finds itself face to face with a predator on the surface, the worm will thrash about, jump, and twist their bodies. Some worms may also spit and spew a foul smelling or foul tasting fluid.

The caterpillar is just as aggressive when it comes to defending itself. Caterpillars have long hairs or bristles on their bodies, which can detach and lodge into the skin or mucous membranes of the predator. In some caterpillars, the bristles contain poison from the caterpillar’s venom glands. This poison is so powerful that in the case of the South American silk moth, it can be fatal to human beings. Much like worms, caterpillars also spit juices and produce bad smells to ward off attackers. Caterpillars also have the ability to create a silk line and drop out of site if a predator approaches.

Other dog worm types include: roundworm and whipworm. Hookworms, tapeworms, roundworms, and whipworms thrive in the dog’s intestines. Round worms look like spaghetti and tapeworm segments look like grains of rice.

How to detect dog worms

One of the easiest ways to detect dog worms is to examine your dog’s feces. You should be able to see any dog worms or segments in plain sight. Dog worms can also be found in your pets food, on or buried in your dog’s fur, around his anus, around his paws (from scratching) and it is not uncommon to find them in your dog’s ears.

Where do dog worms come from?

Fleas are a major source of certain types of worms, such as tapeworms. When a dog accidentally swallows an infected flea, worms can hatch in the dog’s intestines. These types of tapeworms can also be transmitted to humans as well. Animal carcasses such as rodents and rabbits may also contain tapeworms, so be sure to keep your pets away from them at all costs.

Dog worms can also be contracted from other pet’s feces, which can be easily be found in parks, on pet runs, and even in your own backyard. Whipworm and roundworm eggs can remain infectious for years, and hookworm larvae can multiply in the soil in and around a dog run, park or yard.

Symptoms of Dogs Worms

Symptoms of Dogs Worms Include:

·Change in your dog’s appetite
·Coughing and hiccupping (due to heartworm)
·Diarrhea
·Distended abdomen in puppies
·Dull coat
·Inability to exercise
·Vomiting
·Weakness
·Weight loss

How to Prevent Dog Worms

Fortunately, there are ways to prevent dog worms. One of the most important ways to prevent a serious dog worm infection is to have your pet screened for worms twice per year. If your dog is considered high-risk for intestinal worms, you should have him screened more than twice a year. High-risk dogs typically live in condensed urban areas and they usually live in a home with more than one pet. Show pets and hunting dogs are also considered high-risk. Caring for a dog with worms should be done only under the care of a vet. Most non-prescription medications don’t work. Your vet will have access to a number of cutting edge preventatives that are extremely effective against the most aggressive types of parasites such as roundworm, whipworm, hookworm, and heartworm.

In addition to preventative measures, it’s also a good idea to keep your dog clean and well groomed. You should also dispose of dog feces immediately. Never leave it in piles around your yard, dog run, etc. If you notice any of the symptoms of canine worms listed above, please contact your vet immediately. Continue reading to learn more about the most serious of all dog worms — heartworm.

Interested in alternative cures for dog worms? Speak with your vet about alternative cures or contact the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association to locate a holistic vet in your area.

American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association
2218 Old Emmorton Road
Bel Air, MD 21015
phone 410-569-0795
fax 410-569-2346
e-mail: office@ahvma.org
website: http://www.ahvma.org