Occasionally we will get a ‘phone call or an email from a customer who has received their order for worms that they have arrived with some dead, dying or very lethargic, when we query as to what makes the customer think they are dead, the response is invariably that the worms are not moving much, many people assume that worms are very active, wriggly creatures, whilst this is true when you have just dug them up (they are now attempting to get away from a situation where they are likely to be eaten! why else would they be dug up?) but when they have been harvested, packed and then shipped out in a moving vehicle the worms response is to burrow down, stick together, stop moving, “play dead” and hopefully I will not get eaten! disturbance, movement, vibration etc are all threats to worms.
We always send out worms in A1 condition, there is no point in doing so otherwise so unless something exceptional happens to them on route it is almost impossible for them to die, the exception to this maybe when smaller quantities are sent out in tubs and they have been left out under the sun, possibly during delivery or more likely when requested to leave or some other extreme conditions, if this has happened then the evidence is very obvious and distinctive.
When the worms arrive and they do appear lethargic do not write them off, if they are composting, garden or fishing worms and you are not ready to use them straight away, give them a little water and/or wet newspaper/moss and place the closed container somewhere cool for them to get over their journey, if they are composting worms and you can, add them to the wormery straightaway do so and give a little water, this applies if you have bought loose worms or in a kit.