Mealworm farming

[farmhand]

Trying to read through this entire thread is beginning to feel like trying to catch up on past soap seasons so you know what everyone is talking about at the office.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Trying to read through this entire thread is beginning to feel like trying to catch up on past soap seasons so you know what everyone is talking about at the office.

 

[LaBella]

Trying to read through this entire thread is beginning to feel like trying to catch up on past soap seasons so you know what everyone is talking about at the office.

Tell me about it, lol.
I'm doing it though. Mostly because the commentary is hilarious. I am AM finding the old stuff informative, but the entertainment value is unmeasurable!

 

[Mavrk]

You know, when I got my 1000 mealworms, it felt like 1000 mealworms (maybe a little more). But now that they are all beetles I am realizing that less than 1000 beetles (not all have survived this far) looks/feels like a lot more. The food has swarms of beetles on it, the newspaper is moving like I have mice instead of beetles, and the sound of them moving around the paper and cardboard reminds me of a rain storm (at least there isn't thunder

). I can only imagine what this is going to be like when the second generation become beetles. Even after feeding out some of the mealworms and some dying on their own, we're still talking about several thousand beetles. Just pondering.

On a side note, I notice the babies are getting longer, but I wonder when they are going to get fatter. Maybe they can just stretch more when they are young.

 

[Mavrk]

Trying to read through this entire thread is beginning to feel like trying to catch up on past soap seasons so you know what everyone is talking about at the office.

I read the whole thing and still don't know who killed J.R.

 

[Kassaundra]

Whoever had the question about same heat througout, you really don't want that, it is better if there are diff temps so the worms/beetles can self regulate. And the acceptable / good / optimum range is broad enough that the varience won't be a bad thing.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote:

 

[johnlogan]

I read the whole thing and still don't know who killed J.R.

That's funny. I was thinking of raising mealworms. Is there an online "how to" info that would be easier than reading thru this entire thread?

 

[Mavrk]

That's funny. I was thinking of raising mealworms. Is there an online "how to" info that would be easier than reading thru this entire thread?

Check the links on the first post. That will get you started. The rest is more about strategies to avoid problems, ways to increase production, systems used, time lines, observations, where to get starter worms, fun banter back and forth, etc. Definitely worth the time to read at your liesure, but not worth a delay getting started. I found that I needed to heat the substrate at a little higher temperature than mentioned in the original links to kill the hitchhikers before adding the mealworms (200F oven for 20-30 minutes). Other than that, I would say they are spot on. Feel free to ask questions even if they were covered earlier.

 

[bobbieschicks]

I feel so badly about the way I manage my worms - other than tossing in a carrot every so often or scooping out some beetles for my girls to nibble on I basically ignore them. I remember when I first got them I would sit outside in the sun and separate the pupae and beetles almost daily. haha - guess the honeymoon period wore off already.