Those small flies are called vinegar flies or Drosophila melanogaster and they indicate that there is not enough oxygen in your organic waste for aerobic decomposition. read more
Those small flies are called vinegar flies or Drosophila melanogaster and they indicate that there is not enough oxygen in your organic waste for aerobic decomposition.
When your organic waste doesn’t have the oxygen it needs to decompose effectively, microbes called anaerobes become active and multiply. They give off gasses that attract Vinegar flies.
How can I get rid of them?
You need to get more oxygen into your compost to encourage aerobic decomposition of the organic waste.
Rotate your tumbler every day.
Aerate the waste by mixing equal volumes of carbon material (fine woody mulches, and small twiggy leaf litter), with richer nitrogen/protein materials (food scraps, manures, fresh grass clippings).
The contents of your tumbler may have become too acidic. Sprinkle a good dusting of Tumbleweed Worm Farm and Compost Conditioner into the tumbler every two or three weeks. Being alkaline, the conditioner will help maintain the correct pH and minimise anaerobic activity.
Regularly empty the mixed ingredients from your tumbler and allow it to ‘mature’ in a compost bin on the ground.
Happy Tumbling!
Why are small flies living in my compost tumbler?
Comments
with 3-5litres of sawdust/ shavings. The drum is a 220 litres.