I have committed genocide
I have committed genocide. I have killed all the worms in my wormery.

My wormery, which is really a bucket with a lid, a false shelf near the bottom and a tap to drain off worm pee, normally lives outside on the decking, although for the last few weeks, due to the cold weather, it has lived in a cold, but not freezingly so, corridor. Having had it for a good six months now, the worms not the corridor, I thought it was time it had some agitation, so, on Sunday, I spread out some polythene and started digging around in the rotting vegetables that were sitting on the top.

In amongst the avo shells and tea bags etc, were millions of dead maggots and fly eggs. These (and the rotting veg) went over the side into the Thames. The fish will love them. Rather that than stick it in a landfill. Apart from a floating avo stone, it all sank without a trace. About halfway down my wormery I got to mostly compost, but no worms? Not even worm corpses! Where are they all?

I need to obtain more worms now. I did get a few inches of decent compost and I've left a good six inches of the stuff for new worms when I get some. In the meantime, my ex-wormery is outside with the top off, and the tap open, to discourage any more fruit flies.

I miss my worms. Come back worms! All is forgiven!

Some worms: