I am pretty sure you are the caretaker of the two most loved worms on the planet. To prevent the next romantic bottle of wine from being shared with 20,000 flying friends find a sheer curtain or similar material. A sufficient quantity to hang generously over the sides of the bin may cost only $2 at a fabric store or less for a curtain panel at a thrift store or free if the wine is really tasty and nobody is looking too closely at the windows. In addition you can put the kitchen scraps into recycled paper bags or wrap them in a sheet of newspaper. Then daily or whenever the kitchen scraps need tending to, put them into the bag or wrap them like a fish in the newspaper and quick like a bunny reach under the sheer cloth covering the top of the bin and max only two fruit flies will be smart enough to escape their captivity. Also wash out the kitchen scrap collection bin each time or line with newspaper.

You keep saying the top keeps drying out. Unless the bin is in air conditioning I keep envisioning the bottom of the bin actually being drenched in two inches deep of water. I too care for these two worms and I am worried about this. Could you dig down into the bin for me please and report upon the conditions there? A live on the scene channel 8 news report with video is not necessary. But please assure me the bottom of the bin has access to lots of oxygen.

the middle is not drenched at all. it's moist like a rung out sponge actually. and from researching on how to keep worms from crawling out it seems environment is moist enough to live in yet not too moist to drown them as i have not see them trying to crawl out.

the bin is like a typical cheap worm bin but in a 5gal bucket. layered with old compost material that i was composting with and news paper. i wet each layer down as i layered it and it has been a few days since then so i mean im sure if it were waterlogged it would of drained out as it has drainage holes or evaporated. the top is open for airthe bottom with drainage holes.other then that it seems okay to me.

as for the flies their isn't many just a few and it's because the food isn't actually burried well wasn't i burried it now though and their are less with the pond lining on. but from now i think i will keep it opened aired as i do think i am over watering just a little.

also to check it i will be mixing it on monday by hand on a mat check out the worms and mix the bedding up as well and place in a new bucket with an actual lid.