Mealworm farming

[Richard Pryor]

Got a few of these hairy creatures with my worm shipment. I don't trust hairy insects. Anyone know what these are?

Besides 5-6 of these, the worms were great. 10 beetles total and 95% of the worms were alive. Good size also.

Got to recommend rainbow worms. Cheapest price and good quality.

 

[Kusanar]

Got a few of these hairy creatures with my worm shipment. I don't trust hairy insects. Anyone know what these are?

Besides 5-6 of these, the worms were great. 10 beetles total and 95% of the worms were alive. Good size also.

Got to recommend rainbow worms. Cheapest price and good quality.

I wouldn't freak out about those. They are the bugs that people use to clean bones of rotten meat. People keep them in mealworm colonies to clean up the dead bugs. Most of them won't bother the live ones. You can pick them out if you wish, but if they are there it shouldn't be an issue.

 

[KernH]

What are these bugs called? I think I have read on here that these can control and eat the dead beetles, and that the odor from the trays is caused from the decaying beetles and not from the worms or their defecations. Can someone help me on this? I want to control the odor.

 

[Kusanar]

What are these bugs called? I think I have read on here that these can control and eat the dead beetles, and that the odor from the trays is caused from the decaying beetles and not from the worms or their defecations. Can someone help me on this? I want to control the odor.

Looks like the spelling is dermestid beetles and that's the larva that was posted above.

I don't know that they DO control odor, I haven't ever had them as my colony started out as wild caught beetles, they didn't bring in any friends with them. But I would imagine that since it appears most of the stink is from dead beetles that it would help if something ate them...

 

[twigcrafter]

I finally have baby meal worms!!!
I've had the bins going since march. Yesterday I peeled potatoes and let the peels air out over night. This morning I put them in with the beetles and when I checked a few hours later, I saw teeny tiny meal worms eating the peels.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

Does anyone know if wheat berries will work as substrate? I have about 20 lbs that are way beyond the expiry date.

 

[aart]

Never heard of grains having an expiry date.
As long as they are not moldy, they should be fine.

Not sure the larvae could chew thru the exosperm(outer coating of grain),
might have to chop em up.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

Never heard of grains having an expiry date.
As long as they are not moldy, they should be fine.

Not sure the larvae could chew thru the exosperm(outer coating of grain),
might have to chop em up.

I dunno... 35 y/o is pretty old. MY dad bought it and never used it. It was nitrogen packed for all but the last year or so, but it's a bit older than I want to eat and I'm not really that comfortable giving it to the chickens.

I thought wheat bran is the exotherm. But I agree that grinding the stuff up would be good.

 

[Kusanar]

I dunno... 35 y/o is pretty old. MY dad bought it and never used it. It was nitrogen packed for all but the last year or so, but it's a bit older than I want to eat and I'm not really that comfortable giving it to the chickens.

I thought wheat bran is the exotherm. But I agree that grinding the stuff up would be good.

I would put them in a blender and pulse them a few times, don't need powder but open them up a bit.

Mine are in a mix of powdered horse feed, powdered scratch grain, powdered cheerios, and some oatmeal (I do powder all of mine to the point it sifts through a fine mesh sifter, that way I can get the bugs out easier, the oatmeal is messing it up and it's about time for me to change the bedding completely once the current worm stage worms are big enough to get out.

 

[Cluckcluck1215]

Spoiler: Can be Gross

Its a, erm, well those beetles are kinda canibels(I know, can't spell)I saw them eating a beetle alive the other day

Hey peeps.

A couple months ago I got 500 Mealworms, I think?Well, I put them in a ten gallon fish tank, with apples slices.Fast forward now.My "Mealworm" Farm has turned into a "Beetle" Farm.I read that the Mealworms are underneath the substrate.True or False?Should I take a spoon and dig through the creepy things?yes or No?
Not to be gross, So I will put it in a spoiler up above.