I thought I already asked this but I can't find my post.

I have kept garden worms for three years. I use the Magic Worm Ranch. I wrote to the Magic worm kit people and they gave me some advice, but they don't know what these bugs are.

First, this is probably my fault. I've been sick a lot this year and I haven't cared for the worms as well as I should have. I feed them regularly but haven't made new bedding for them in awhile. Also, I had to order worm bedding from the Internet a couple of years ago when I ran out, and although it said it was Magic worm bedding, I received 30 lbs of something that didn't quite resemble it, wrapped in a large plain plastic garbage bag inside of a shipping box. Everything has been okay with it though, until my recent problem but again, I think it may be because I haven't changed the dirt in awhile.

I always make sure the bedding is moist enough without being too moist, and I replace newspaper and spray water on the top sometimes. I always feed a little bit a couple of times a week. The other two boxes are fine but the oldest box has these bugs.

They appeared out of the blue. They are very tiny and appear to be white. When I open the box, they jump, then burrow in to get out of the light. When I push the dirt aside with a spoon, they jump then burrow some more. There are thousands, maybe millions. The box is full of them.

I am trying to figure out how to get the worms out. It is January in Michigan and we have been buried in snow and low temps for the past few months so I can't just dump them in a hole in the field and throw the box away. Plus, there are some good worms in there - all my new babies are in there, too. I can't work with them in the garage either, since I have Raynaud's and neuropathy and can't handle cold. The basement is really even too cold for me (that's where the worms live).

I figure I can open the box quickly, put a few worms at a time in a large, deep container, get the dirt and bugs off, rinse the worms in another container that has water, then put them in a clean, new box. This will take forever but I don't know another way.

What I would like to know is if anyone knows what these things are. They are not the tiny white worms that show up to eat the food if there's extra, or if the ph of the box is off.

I will try to get a better look but that will require a microscope and I have been afraid to leave the top off the box long enough to get a good look. I don't want them infesting the basement if that's what they might do. I know I am paranoid but - YUCK. I can handle snakes and lizards (I also have a gecko), but I hate bugs. I can barely handle the crickets for the gecko.

Please, if anyone has an idea, let me know. I've already searched and searched and just can't find anything. Thanks.

Lori