Mealworm farming

[gaitngirl]

Nxb - I actually had my humidity too low. And the 1st bin of locally purchased mealies had none of the mushy issues, even though they were just 3 feet away from the Rainbows. Same humidity and environment for both sets.

 

[nxb161]

Nxb - I actually had my humidity too low. And the 1st bin of locally purchased mealies had none of the mushy issues, even though they were just 3 feet away from the Rainbows. Same humidity and environment for both sets.

Are rainbow mealworms just a company that sells them? I bought my thousand from Amy that sells them on here. Thankfully I didn't notice any mass die off, there were some here and there, but not enough to worry about. It is amazing how quickly they grow in the summer vs the winter when I initially got them. It is fun to watch the girls go crazy over them. They just require sooo much food at this stage, I don't know how you guys do it! Thankfully the garden still has some veggies. Has anyone used pumpkins/gourds as a source of food? The only issue I have with my garden veggies is the fruit flies, but other then it being annoying, I haven't noticed any harmful affects of them being in there.

 

[AletaG]

Nxb, well, we've had pretty steady 60-80% humidity, haven't noticed any rotten pupa... and still get beetles that the wing covers didn't grow to cover the wings, and usually the wings in those cases look like they stuck their fingers in a light socket. My understanding was there is expected to be a certain amount that turn out ugly, I'm just wondering if I have more than that certain amount... 'sall.

-Aleta G.

 

[MalMom]

I bought 1000 mealworms from Rainbow in the spring. I had very few die off and the beetles looked better than the ones I got from the pet store. I just bought another 5,000 from them. I received them Thursday. I already have a ton of pupa, so I am excited to get my beetles out of them. I'll keep on eye on those beetles but the first batch did so well, I don't expect any problems.
Out of my very first bin that I started, I found my first pupa from the new worms I raised. I'm pretty excited about that. Although I should have been out of beetles by now so I think some of the beetles I do have came from the worms I raised up. I haven't been paying much attention to the colony. But regardless, knowing all those worms are the babies of the worms I first bought, and that now one of them is a pupa, it's very exciting. My second generation will be here before I know it.

 

[gaitngirl]

I may have just gotten a funky batch - who knows.
I just lifted a carrot out of the beetle bin and the bottom of it was covered in tiny mealies. I think it's time to move the beetles to another bin and let these mealies grow up. That will give me a chance to clean out any dead beetles and feed them to the chickens and ducks.
Everyone (including the 3 foster dogs) actually let me sleep until 8:30 this morning. Very much appreciated. Now it's time to dig out the jars and get some canning done. There's a small farmers market in Swartz Creek today - I may head up there and see if they have any decent quantities of jalapenos for my salsa.
Have a great day everyone! We are finally getting tolerably cooler weather here in Michigan today and tomorrow. Those hot days we've been having are just too draining for me.

 

[blobear23]

Think mine got way to hot! Most og mine died in a matter of two weeks. But I started getting and over abundance of nettles and never seen any babies? Almost like the excising worms were pupating and maturing but not reproducing? Only had a 1000 to start with so shouldn't have been eating all the little ones right?

 

[nxb161]

Think mine got way to hot! Most og mine died in a matter of two weeks. But I started getting and over abundance of nettles and never seen any babies? Almost like the excising worms were pupating and maturing but not reproducing? Only had a 1000 to start with so shouldn't have been eating all the little ones right?

How hot did you let them get? There is a time period where you will see no new worms then BAM thousands of them. Just make sure you don't mess to much with the substrate during that time. That's what I've noticed at least.

 

[buttercup95]

I have a bunch of beetles right now and hardly any eggs so I think I'm going to order another thousand to get the mixed ages and have larva at all times.

 

[gaitngirl]

I refrigerated a few hundred towards the end just to have some at different stages. With 2 separate bins going I need not have bothered. Once the juvie bin's mealies started growing I started seeing a few pupa every day. I'm still getting pupa from my 'big' bin - probably around 30 to 40 per day'. My beetles seem to be doing pretty well now - if there is die off, the mature beetles are taking care of the carcasses more. I still pick a few out daily to throw into the fermented feed or as treats. There's lots of hanky panky going on plus I'm seeing plenty of micros now. Despite the issues I've had I think I will have a good winter supply.

 

[DHinton]

so........ i started off with 5,000 mixed sized, that i ordered.

they're now split into about 5 different boxes/drawers.

the children are finally big enough to see -- i'd say medium+ is the largest size of the children.

they've gone from half a carrot/potato a week to... i dunno, a carrot/potato/whatever every other day or so.

methinks, we have amassed a small army.


edit:

and on a sidenote - made a composter (from a garbage can) and filled it with bunny poo on saturday. apparently - garbage can of bunny poo = black soldier fly heaven; because, there's already a horde of growing BSFL larvae ... TONS more than i see at one time in my normal compost.


the bearded dragon, chickens, and quail shall be very happy.