after 2-1/2 years, I had a mite infestation and looked at all the old posts. Everyone seemed to say that it wasn't a disaster but mites do compete with the worms (I have India Blues).
Well, today I did a harvest and my thousands of worms have vanished and I only had a handful! Strange but a good thing, I did think the worms were thinning out but there was no awful smell (read that in posts when there is a die off) so I am starting all over again in a little flower pot - I was in a 100 quart cooler.
Don't know what happened but I'll blame the mites.
Other times when I had mites - they would vanish but these last 6-9 months - no end. I would even get a lighter and burn them off - but not near the worms.

Starting all over again. . .worms are so expensive here so I'm hoping that the few that survived are very hardy and will re-populate.

Good luck - and look at old posts about tea and mites.

I would like to burn the mites too but couldn't risk the worms so I used avocados, bread and/or melon/cantaloupe to bait them.
I know people said that the bin is too wet when there are too many mites but to me it seems that my worms are happier in moistier condition.