John,

Guess I'll bite on your post!;0)

Keep in mind, this is just my opinion.

Roaches need moisture-they can live longer without food than they can without moisture. They like dark damp places and "food" - Sounds like a worm bin! huh!?

They are also a very "clean" insect and constantly clean their feet, antennae, etc. with their mouths.

If your "outside" worm bin was in a protected area (porch?)
AND on WHEELS you might be able to keep roaches out with "Roach Proof", a roach pesticide. The main & possibly only ingredient is "Borax" & "20 Mule Team Borax" is (I think) the same exact stuff, but it only works if it is dry.

When the roaches walk thru the Borax (sprinkled heavily on the floor underneath the worm bin) their natural instinct will be to clean their feet (with their mouthes). They ingest the the borax and die. Wheels mounted to a 2x4 frame underneath the bin will allow you to roll it out and clean up/replace the borax without dragging/lifting the bin.
I have 4 bins, all on casters, 1 in the house (nursery) & 3 in the garage & I wouldn't consider a bin without 'em. I've put Sevin dust under the garage bins for ants or whatever and replace it maybe every 2 months.

I wheel the bins outside for a sunlight bath when mites get too thick, & it sure is easy to clean up after sorting, digging, splitting the bins outside and then rolling them back to the garage interior.

Roaches also learn to drop from ceilings and can fly so you might consider a screen or drop cloth reaching the floor to prevent air born entry.

last but not least, I've seen roaches occasionaly but never had them in a worm bin.

Just my 2 cents worth.

bruce

Great idea about the bins on wheels!!!!! If you would like to share any other info.....do you have a problem with ants eating the worms?? Do you use the castings to get rid of the ants?? I understood that having worm castings about on plants and crops would keep insects away...they sell if by the ton for farms...which it enriches soil as well but the hidden benefit is that it's a natural repelent for insects....is a roach an insect or just a bug:) Anyway..I haven't started yet but I want to get all the info first so I know what I'm in for...oh...you live in FL too??
Patty

Patty;

I live in the Bryan/College Station area of Texas (TexA&M?)
Sort of mid south central of the state.
I have never heard of castings repelling insects unless it's some kind of nematode or harmful bacteria/fungus.

I would like to start some large outdoor bins next spring but I don't want my bins in contact with the ground. I'm thinking of constructing a pipe (elect. conduit) frame and bolting 1x6 boards on top to serve as a table/bench -this is where I would place the large bins. I like pipe legs 'cause I can smear a ring of grease around each one and ants won't cross it, nor roaches or mice (mice couldn't reach around it to shinny up). I currently use clamp on lamps and a length of chain with a 's' hook to warm my bins in the winter. Suspend the chain over the bin, attach light with hook and raise/lower as needed by cheching thermometer. And ,yes, I DO like wheels under my bins. I have a worm factory stacking unit in the house & I figured it should be about time to harvest the castings.
I lifted all the bins up from the collection tray and put 2 1x1x18" boards across the top, set all 3 bins back down and 6 weeks later the lowest bin had dired considerably & there was no evidence of worms. Took it out to the gagage, sifted thru 1/4" mesh, found 2 worms, no cocoons, and a few clumped up paper wads. Add all that to the upper most bin and fed more.

the castings were really fine, slightly moist but most importantly, non-inhabitated!!

bruce

A mixture of 50% Nestle's Quik and 50% boric acid is the fastest way I know of to rid a residence of roaches. Just be sure to put it where it cannot be eaten by pets or small children.

Worm castings won't keep insects away, but what they do is help the plants grow strong and healthy. Many insects and diseases won't attack strong and healthy plants, or if they do, the plant seems to fend them off better, so you end up with fewer or less serious infestations.

I have my standard Rubbermaid bin set on a couple of bricks so it's off the pavement. If I need to move it, I can lift it very easily.

I don't have a worm bin and never have, but I want to start and wondered about roaches too. I had an idea while reading through these post that at very fine mosquito mesh could cover the on wheel bin. this should certainly help keep out air born and other the rats can't get in anyway or racoons with a brick on top of the lid too if it not a latch lid. just a thought... it it would keep out mosquitos too I hope and those fruit flies ? maybe no/yes ?

I think the idea that worm castings repel insects is a little misinterpreted. Plants with healthy immune systems are much more unattractive to insects than unhealthy plants- just because they are more work for the insect to attack and digest. A plant's immune system depends, among other things, on nutrient availability and the plant's microbial associations in the soil. A healthy population of soil biota generally means healthy plants. Worm castings are chock full of the same bacteria species that plant roots like to mingle with, as well as nitrogen- so yes regular applications of castings or worm tea- could definitely help to deter bugs- but not as a direct repellent.

I have used Tanglefoot around my worm bins. It works very well for the ants, but if they are already present, I would just collect your worms and start over.
I have cockroaches now though, so I'm going to try the boric acid bait, and will follow up to let you know how it worked.

This post was edited by growingboy on Sun, Jul 20, 14 at 2:19