Congratulations on your first worm bin! Kudos for doing your homework first.

I would continue to put the worms back also. If you leave a small wattage lite on over the bin at night for a few weeks, they should stay put.

Good luck. Pete

I have a pure red wigglers bin, and absolutely some diehard, strong-minded wigglers venture out for other pastures! I don't agree with her at all. Not often, but it happens.

If your first bins are in-home, I'm surprised she included other wildlife. Seems like creating a problem that doesn't have to be there right at the beginning, for a newbie. Hmmm. Someone will tell me if I'm wrong! I know that some folks like the soldier guys, and other critters, but just starting out, plain old wigglers would be easier, in my opinion. Other wanted species will turn up in time.

When I first began years ago, there was more than enough to think about without factoring other things into the mix.

Sometimes red wigglers will become mixed with Indian Blue worms. The blue worms are more likely to want to escape. Both are great composters, but in moderate climates, red worms are preferred. I wonder if that is what your instructor was thinking. Either that, or the worms are mixed with non-composters.

Oh, she ordered these bags from the unknown seller (I didn't ask.) She said the bags often had small numbers of bugs and non-composting worms. She didn't make the bags personally.

It bothered me that she made a blanket statement about escaping worms as non-composting worms.

My worm bin is somewhat settled by now. I rarely find any worms climbing, so it's all good. (Except fruit flies so outdoor storage closet off it goes.)