We buy several boxes of bait worms {Evergreen large Canadian Nightcrawlers} and I can't keep the ones that are left over after fishing alive. I put them in a big styrofoam ice chest when we get home with shredded newspaper that I keep damp layered on top then close it shut with the lid. I put cheap potting soil from the store in it and feed them cornmeal every other day and dampen the newspaper at that time. They are just disappearing. I keep them outdoors and it's very hot and humid here in south Louisiana, could this be the problem? Any suggestions would be helpful. It's getting expensive to buy worms each time we go fishing. They are living when I put them in the ice chest but disappear a few days later. What am I doing wrong? We go catfishing in fresh water bayous. Thanks for your time and have a nice day. 
 
 

I agree with Big M.  They need a cool dark place.

We would keep them for weeks at a time in the refrigerator, just make sure the lids on tight, wouldn't want to get special spaghetti

My wife keeps the nightcrawlers she uses in the fridge also, and they seem to last quite awhile.  I guess the cold slows-down they're metabolism..................if a worm has a fast metabolism to start with, lol 

I worked for an old Chief years ago in Charleston, SC that had worm beds. Occasionally  he'd go to some of the various offices where we worked and collect their used coffee grounds at the end of the work day.  He put the grounds on the worm beds.  Anyone ever heard of that practice for worms?  Apparently he raised some dang big nigthcrawlers! 


Thinking back to how strong some of that coffee was, those must have been some stout worms, lol. 

My Grandmother used to put coffee grounds in her flower beds. Biggest dang worm I have ever seen!

What

Get ya some old newspapers and lay 'em down on top of the dirt and damp them. Or you just make sure you keep them in a shaded area and keep the soil damp. With it as hot as it is, it won't take much for the worms to come to the top and bake.