Assuming your winter temps in Mass., albeit SOUTHERN Mass., are what I think they are.....and I watched the Patriots fans freezing themselves at the game this week....., your worms don't have a very bright future. The cocoons would make it where I live (Texas), but I don't know about up there. We're talking about just survival now....they will not be at all productive in those kinds of temps even if they survive, which is highly doubtful.

I wonder why you wouldn't consider indoors bins? They can absolutely be maintained indoors with no problems at all using very little space. Bring em in!!!

Good Luck,

Chuckiebtoo

I'm pretty sure cocoons can survive freezing temperatures. Maybe someone else has better info.

Mariann

Last year (I was living just out side of Golden, Colorado) I thought I had lost all my worms to the cold. We had an early freeze and I was not ready with the heat for the worms. I just left them after I thought I had lost them and we moved to Pueblo Colorado during the summer. (But I kept the castings) Once I set up a new home for the worms I found out I had live worms. I thought that they were all dead but I was wrong. Just luck or hardy worms? I donÂt know but that is just one case where they did make it. I would check them about 2 to 3 weeks after the last frost you might have some alive.
I also know that there is a worm farmer up north (I think it is Montana) who grows worms out side in windrows. He freezes the top to help some heat in.
Hope this helps

Rick

According to our Cooperative Extension agent, red worms and earth worms won't survive outside here in Fairbanks, AK, but the egg casings/cocoons usually do.

I'll let you know this summer--I dumped a small stinky bin into my compost pile, and I know there were quite a few worms and egg casings when I dumped them. When I turn the pile after it thaws (May? June?) I'll look for survivors.

Emily in sunny Fairbanks