Hotbeds of diversity at the bottom of the garden

Flies, worms, slugs, woodlice, centipedes, moulds - the compost bin throbs with life

Several times each week I take vegetable peelings from the kitchen to the three compost recycling bins at the bottom of the garden. Even in winter, they are hotbeds of biodiversity.

Today, as I lift the lid of the newest bin, I am greeted by a blizzard of minute moth-flies (Clogmia albipunctata) that have bred in the film of water covering decaying garden weeds and autumn leaves.