About two and a half months ago I went to the doctor for what I thought was a head cold that I had been toughing out for a week but wouldn't go away. I finally went to the doctor when I started feeling delirious and running a high fever. Turns out I had a MRSA staff infection and was put in the hospital where I was kept for two months.

In short, I returned home to find my bin had dried up and everything had died. There was no trace of any worms to be found. I moistened the bedding thoroughly and hoped I might be able to bring it back if any cocoons survived.

It's been two weeks and after careful inspection I still haven't seen any sign of babies anywhere in the bin so I'm thinking it's a total loss.

I feel so bad about leaving them to die from neglect. I tended to them and watched them grow from the small one pound order I received well over a year ago to a whole large bin full of the little guys and now they are gone.

I'm not sure when I will be able to order any new worms to start over as the medical bills that are rolling in are taking everything I have so I am looking for other options.

I guess what I would like to know is can I use the worms I find outside under the leaf litter and in my compost pile to start over? They look just like the red worms I had in my bin and not like the large night crawlers I find in the spring in the garden. I figure it will be slow going with only the few I could find but better then nothing if I can get it to work. Any thoughts?

Thanks,

Michael