Ants and a Slow Worm in my Compost

[jjat8cvParticipant]

I opened up a dalek type compost bin yesterday and found an ants nest. I started to mix the compost with my fork and discovered a slow worm. Do slow worms eat ants or would it be better to move him (or her) to my open pallet type bins. I would hate to hurt the slow worm whilst mixing the compost and also I believe they are a protected species.

[LeifParticipant]

I would worry that the slow worm had laid eggs. Not sure what time of year that occurs.

[HawfinchParticipant]

They, apparently, don’t lay eggs but give birth to young, when that is I don’t know. I am so lucky to have several in my garden, they love lying on the composting horse manure where I just leave them under a tarpaulin. Now that you know they are there, I would just be careful when turning the compost, they usually slither away very quickly and then return once peace has returned to their “home”.

[LeifParticipant]

Thanks Hawfinch. Oddly enough when I recently saw some at a friends house, it was under a tarpaulin, placed over a large pile of rotting poo.

[jjat8cvParticipant]

Thanks for your replies. Apparantly slow worms do eat ants (though probably not in the numbers I have got). I think I will leave the bin alone until after about September when the slow worms should have reproduced if they are going to.

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