Mealworm farming

[Gallo del Cielo]

Quote:
While the chances of developing an allergy are relatively low, for those that do, it is definitely quite serious. A warning is a good idea so I'll edit my mealworm page to add one.

 

[Slinglings]

Even if someone isn't 'allergic' they can still react to inhaling the dust. I don't think I had an allergy really, just a terrible terrible cough from inhaling the dust. The same thing happens when I shovel mulch and spread it on the garden.

 

[laughingdog52]

Is there a post on how to freeze dry mealworms?

 

[Chicks Galore3]

Is there a post on how to freeze dry mealworms?

I don't know but does anyone know how?



I've been seeing A LOT more beetle action- what do they like to eat? Are they the same with mealworms? I have 2,000 mealworms/beetles in a 10 gallon tank...is that to squished? I am not separating them. The mealworms are congregating in big groups on the sides of the the tank. Is this normal?

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I don't know but does anyone know how?



I've been seeing A LOT more beetle action- what do they like to eat? Are they the same with mealworms? I have 2,000 mealworms/beetles in a 10 gallon tank...is that to squished? I am not separating them. The mealworms are congregating in big groups on the sides of the the tank. Is this normal?

Gallo del Cielo is the one tank professional here, with a tank thats been going several years. I have 2 separate larger bins and a 3 bin, they do seem to hang to the sides more.

Is there a post on how to freeze dry mealworms?

Not that i have seen, i read the whole thread from page 1 a few times now. You can freeze them, and as long as you feed out in like an hour or so they are ok. they will turn black if you leave them sit. I never seem to have that many extra my birds and fish would make sure of it.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Yes, be careful with pupae. i didn't find it necessary to separate my worms and pupae in all the times i've raised them though. does anyone know much about breeding a second generation of mealworms? i'm interested for my chooks' sakes!

I only move beetles, thats because i want them all in the same spot breeding. I use a 3 drawer with a screen in my 2nd drawer. eggs, and worms fall into the bottom, along with the frass and some oatmeal sustrate. end of every 2 months that goes into a plastic shoebox - the 2nd month that becomes a new colony (2 months worth) I check them all every few weeks and move beetles as i find em. ( I have a LOT of beetles!) I am on 2nd generation now. I have 2 new colonies (4 months) and started the 3rd this month. Holler if that's not making sense, i am lousing at explaining sometimes lol!

 

[Mavrk]

I don't know but does anyone know how?



I've been seeing A LOT more beetle action- what do they like to eat? Are they the same with mealworms? I have 2,000 mealworms/beetles in a 10 gallon tank...is that to squished? I am not separating them. The mealworms are congregating in big groups on the sides of the the tank. Is this normal?

Gallo del Cielo is the one tank professional here, with a tank thats been going several years. I have 2 separate larger bins and a 3 bin, they do seem to hang to the sides more.

Not that i have seen, i read the whole thread from page 1 a few times now. You can freeze them, and as long as you feed out in like an hour or so they are ok. they will turn black if you leave them sit. I never seem to have that many extra my birds and fish would make sure of it.

On Gallo del Cielo's thread, he indicates that he has 10-20,000 (estimated) mealworms in the 10 gallon tank. So that is not too squished. The beetles eat the same thing as the mealworms. In my tank setup, I find that there tend to be clusters of mealworms in the corners. They also cluster in the middle though, but it is not as easy to see. With that many mealworms, if 100 of them were in the corner it still would only be a small percentage of the worms. So I would say this is normal. The beetles tend to spread out more but that might just be because they move a lot more (and faster).

 

[Chicks Galore3]

Thanks Mavrk! I think that I'll give my chickens their first mealworms on Christmas.

 

[Chicks Galore3]

I found something on how to dry mealworms- you freeze them until they are dead. Then you place them on a cookie sheet with a thin layer of cornmeal to prevent sticking. You bake them on the grill for 4-5 hours, shaking every 1/2 hour. There was a side note that said- "you may do this in the oven at 200 degrees. But doing so might cause a unpleasant odor to fill you home."

 

[lbrtyldy]

Finally have seen my first baby mealies! I'm glad I read a post saying something like just when you're ready to give up, there they are - which is about what happened to me. Just in time too since my first batch of worms that I bought is almost gone now (as in they are pupaes and/or beetles already).