Staggering number of worms

[Garyb]

I just scoop them out and add them to a bag of saved compost.

[marmot14]

My level of worms is off the scale as well, see photo. Are they trying to escape the heat? It just feels a bit cruel.

[longden lass]

Hello, the worms are coming to the top because it is too hot for them in the middle. I scoop some off and give the birds a tea party. Worms are good!

[Penellype]

I sometimes find this too. I think these are brandling (compost) worms, which are different from the ordinary earthworms, and seem to appear magically out of nowhere in compost heaps. When I empty my hotbin the bottom part is always full of these even when the top is hot. I think when the temperature falls in the top part the worms migrate upwards - apparently they like to live near the surface, which is why wormeries are usually made of stacking boxes with the newest material in the top one.

I hope that makes sense.

[Volvogirl]

Evening all, I've had my HotBin for only a few months and am still learning about it, so I'm sorry if this is a stupid question. I've just lifted the lid on it to find a staggering number of worms congregating around the edges, what's going on? The temperature inside has dropped a bit over the weekend, so it seems unlikely that it's too warm for them. I ask out of idle curiosity rather than concern. Thank you.