Buy Compost Worms In Missouri
Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
Ready to start vermicomposting and need to find places to buy worms in Missouri? Today I’m going to share a bunch of locations you can check in your hometown and worm sellers. Of course, you could always purchase worms from our friends at Meme’s Worms.
Let’s dig into today’s article.

Where To Buy Worms In Missouri
Contact Bait And Tackle Stores
One of the greatest places in most towns that people forget about is the fishing supply stores. Many people forget about bait shops because they sell worms for fish to eat. Many bait shops sell far more than nightcrawlers and giant fishing worms.
Ask for Eisenia fetida, tiger worms, or red worms. These are all names for the same worm, our friendly compost worm. Another variety that you can use is the blue worm.
It might work just fine if you find that they have different types of worms in one container. Red and blue worms are both great for composting, and they live in colonies. This means that they are perfect for indoor vermicomposting.
Check Farming And Garden Supply Businesses
Next, you will want to check your local farm store. As the cost of chemical fertilizer grows and more people look for natural alternatives – worms have been a go-to. Worms offer a lot of benefits to the soil.
- You can vermicompost and harvest the castings.
- You can release them in an outdoor bin to speed up outdoor composting
- You can turn the castings into compost tea.
- You could release the worms into the soil.
Worms and their compost release a lot of good bacteria back into the soil. They also aerate the ground, beneficial for crops you’d like to plant and flourish.
Call ahead and confirm that the farm and garden store sells worms. Many are selling the castings, but not the worms. Confirm with the employee that they sell live composting worms.
Dig In The Leaf Litter (The Free Method)
If you want to get started for free, you can always grab a shovel and dig up some worms. Some familiar places you can find worms are in aged animal manure or the leaf litter of your local park.
Living near farmers has a lot of benefits, one of which is the natural allure of worms to manure. You can call them and ask if they have noticed a lot of worms in their feces. If they have witnessed a lot of worms, ask if you can buy a bucket of manure from them. I’d let this bucket sit for a day or two, so the worms can continue to turn the remaining waste before bringing it into your home.
You can always check a wooded or natural area if you don’t live near a farmer. After a soaking rain, you will want to look for fallen leaves or a place where a worm could find protection and breathe.
Many people don’t realize it, but worms breathe through their skin. After a soaking rain, worms may drown in the soil because it’s so saturated with water. Worms will wiggle above ground, often under leaves, sometimes on the sidewalk.
I love this method because:
- You use native worms (releasable back in nature)
- It’s free
- Fun and kid-friendly
- Harms fewer worms in the process
- Includes beneficial bacteria to help your worms get established


Local Online Sellers
Buy Worms In MO On Craigslist, eBay, and Etsy Sellers.
If you could not find a local worms seller at traditional brick-and-mortar stores, you could always check online. Websites like Craigslist, eBay, Etsy, and social media marketplaces feature many people selling compost worms. Often these people are selling from their worm business or just making some extra cash from the excess worms.
This is a great way to support a local seller. Here are some quick links to buy worms in Missouri on Craigslist.
- Columbia / Jeff City
- Joplin
- Kansas City
- Kirksville
- Lake Of The Ozarks
- Southeast Missouri
- Springfield
- St Joseph
- St Louis
Other online marketplaces like eBay also sell compost worms and vermicomposting bins. Be sure to check these local online resources to find someone nearby who sells worms. You can filter the results by location, so enter your zip code and search for sellers near your home. If you cannot find any sellers, expand your search radius until you find someone nearby.

Finally, if you are a social media user, you can check the growing number of yard sales, garage sales, and marketplaces to find worms.
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This was the method that gave me my start in worm composting. I posted on a message group that I wanted to start worm composting and asked if anyone would sell me some worms. Within a half-hour, I received a message from someone across town in my inbox. She told me she would gladly give me. A few shovels are full of her worm-rich outdoor compost.
After a few days, I was at her house with a bucket. I spent over an hour talking to her about her history of worm composting. I learned a lot talking to her about her successes and failures. She continues to be a go-to resource when I have any questions.
This is an excellent option because you can share the joy of composting and meet someone in your community—a win-win.

Worm Stores In Missouri
Thankfully, if you want to purchase worms from a worm breeder in Missouri, you have some options. Below I’ve listed a few different places you can find worms. These also include some home and garden stores that sell worms as well. If you know a brick-and-mortar business where you can buy worms, please share their information below!

I found one store where you can buy African Night Crawlers.
Midwest Worms
8900 Mill Creek Rd,
P. O. Box 162
Conway, MO 65632
(417) 733-6231
Mid America Compost Co.
626 Buckley Rd
St. Louis, MO 63125
jvinson@midamericacompost.com
Add a website
If you know of other websites to buy red worms in Missouri, please share them below. Our goal is to make it easier for vermicomposters to get started.