Mealworm farming

[hemet dennis]

I've gotten to page 42 reading and am determined to get through the whole thread - some day... in the interim I apologize if this has been asked between pages 43-400.

Does anyone freeze dry their worms to preserve them in plastic containers? I was wondering if that is a possiblity and how to go about doing it. I've saved a bunch of clear plastic tubs from my many mealyworm purchases at TSC. I'd like to be able to keep the mealyworms in those until fed to my chicks. I have the little silicone preserving packages to put in to keep them dry/fresh. I also have a dehydrator.

I know I can just freeze the worms, but I don't have a great deal of freezer space. And this seems like a doable thing - but has anyone else done it successfully?

Thanks,
Bobbie

So how many are you planing to freeze. Will they take up that much room ?

 

[bobbieschicks]

So how many are you planing to freeze. Will they take up that much room ?

I don't know - never did it before. I've got 5000 coming and that sounds like a lot to me - maybe I don't know the quantities of mealworms in a normal container from TSC. But I'm guessing that the quantities could get high fast once they start reproducing. I have only a small freezer and am trying to find alternate storage for the mealyworms. How many worms could you fit into a gallon size freezer bag?

 

[hemet dennis]

I don't know - never did it before. I've got 5000 coming and that sounds like a lot to me - maybe I don't know the quantities of mealworms in a normal container from TSC. But I'm guessing that the quantities could get high fast once they start reproducing. I have only a small freezer and am trying to find alternate storage for the mealyworms. How many worms could you fit into a gallon size freezer bag?

Just a guess maybe 10,000. I think 2 or 3 large baggies would hold enough and you don't have to freeze them you could just keep breeding them.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Just a guess maybe 10,000. I think 2 or 3 large baggies would hold enough and you don't have to freeze them you could just keep breeding them.

Okay that helps. I was worried I'd be over running with worms and not able to save them for the winter. My girls love their mealies. I want to store enough for the winter feeding and to start again in the spring. We don't get bad snow but I won't be able to house them inside over the winter. DH says no way.

 

[hemet dennis]

Okay that helps. I was worried I'd be over running with worms and not able to save them for the winter. My girls love their mealies. I want to store enough for the winter feeding and to start again in the spring. We don't get bad snow but I won't be able to house them inside over the winter. DH says no way.

Hide them in the winter.

 

[wattsjadajoe]

Thanks to this thread and all the helpful information, my meal worm farm is booming!!!! I've got 15 trays with too many worms to count, 2 containers with beetles in them and have put more than 2000 mealies in the fridge. Soon I will be on my 2nd generation.

Thanks all!!


Joe

 

[ChickChicHurray]

Hundreds of beetles hiding under everything, hoping to see the 2nd generation soon. I have been thinking about growing some kind of sprouts in a tray for some "green" treats this winter, has anyone done it? What did you sprout? I just love watching them out in the yard eating.

 

[bobbieschicks]

I thought I remembered reading that someone used whole wheat flour for their substrate. Can I use that and/or whole grain rolled oats (like for oatmeal) for the substrate? I have the 3 bin drawers but I'm thinking of just putting some of the 5000 mealworms into each bin and letting them grow as a group iris it better to separate if I use those substrates?

 

[wattsjadajoe]

I thought I remembered reading that someone used whole wheat flour for their substrate. Can I use that and/or whole grain rolled oats (like for oatmeal) for the substrate? I have the 3 bin drawers but I'm thinking of just putting some of the 5000 mealworms into each bin and letting them grow as a group iris it better to separate if I use those substrates?

I used flour in the start...the mealies didn't seem to care for it and when it came time to separate them from the substrate it was near impossible!! I now stay away from the flour!
Oatmeal was a hit, but it was also hard to separate.


Joe

 

[bobbieschicks]

I used flour in the start...the mealies didn't seem to care for it and when it came time to separate them from the substrate it was near impossible!!  I now stay away from the flour!
Oatmeal was a hit, but it was also hard to separate.


Joe

Thanks. I found the post again where she used flour and oats together in the bin. So I think I might try that.

Do we really have to freeze our flour and oats before putting them in the bin for the first time?