Mealworm farming

[sueblack]

Quote:
I guess I should have been more specific. I want to grow the worms so I end up with a batch of very large worms to feed my chickens every week. If I start a bin with new pupa each week, the beetles have to emerge, mature, mate and lay eggs before I take the beetles out. How long before I remove the beetles? I do not want to leave the beetles in there until they die or I will have worms of all sizes. My goal is to be able to feed out one tray at a time so that I can toss the frass knowing there aren't a bunch of babies in there.

 

[chrissyr]

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.

BSF sounds like an interesting endeavor! They look even easier than mealworms and I've heard of set ups that have them self harvesting! it SOUNDS super easy

 

[DHinton]

BSF sounds like an interesting endeavor! They look even easier than mealworms and I've heard of set ups that have them self harvesting! it SOUNDS super easy

100% rabbit poo appears to work far superiour to my normal compost with fruits, veggies, grass, leaves, etc.

the self harvesting might be a bit counter to the garbage can full of rabbit poo. especially since we're keeping it pretty full, and the top of the pile o' poo is dropping 3+ inches a day.

however... i'm going to try getting something like, maybe a collander, and scoop up a chunk from the top of the can - then rinse it out real quick with the water hose.

in THEORY - i'll have a ton of squirmies for the birds and no rabbit poo left in ze collander. the chickens and the quail both love the bsfl to death.

and the first batch of baby mealworms should be getting to bird eating size in the next week or so... so, they'll have those for treats very soon.

 

[gaitngirl]

My chickens went nuts when I had BSFL for them. But I'm in Michigan - it was too hard keeping the colony going here. They need better weather/longer warm seasons to thrive (mine kind of limped along for a year or so until I gave up).
If you get a large enough colony going and want to sell me a few hundred, I would gladly buy the larva if they are reasonably priced.

 

[jimmywalt]

My chickens went nuts when I had BSFL for them. But I'm in Michigan - it was too hard keeping the colony going here. They need better weather/longer warm seasons to thrive (mine kind of limped along for a year or so until I gave up).
If you get a large enough colony going and want to sell me a few hundred, I would gladly buy the larva if they are reasonably priced.

I'm in Michigan and started my mealworms a couple months ago. I plan to keep them in the house all year long. They are in a 10 gallon fish tank. I started with 500 mealworms and now I have at least 100 beatles, plus too many pupa to count.

 

[buttercup95]

So I have maybe a silly question, but do the BSFL carry worms or parasites? I worm my chickens I just want to be safe. I have a lovely inside rabbit that could do with a bit of sun until it starts to get chilly here. I'll put her in a lifted pen and go from there.

 

[gaitngirl]

Buttercup - I've never heard of any of those type of issues with the bsfl. As adults, they only live a very short time (long enough to mate and lay eggs). They have no working mouth parts to eat with and don't bite, sting, etc. If you are controlling the diet for the larva you should be good.

 

[buttercup95]

Okay I don't have any or anything I was just curious about them. I read that wild darkling beetles carry worms so I didn't know if it was the same with wild BSFL

 

[chrissyr]

Go back

Okay I don't have any or anything I was just curious about them. I read that wild darkling beetles carry worms so I didn't know if it was the same with wild BSFL

look back a few pages and gallo del cielo answered this a few times (once for me ). The ones you buy and raise don't have access to worm eggs to be a host. Clean raised, " you are what you eat".(Paraphrased) I think this question should be in the FAQ in the first page. Also, the ones you buy are a different species than the ones you find in your coop/grain

 

[DHinton]

So I have maybe a silly question, but do the BSFL carry worms or parasites? I worm my chickens I just want to be safe. I have a lovely inside rabbit that could do with a bit of sun until it starts to get chilly here. I'll put her in a lifted pen and go from there.

Go back
look back a few pages and gallo del cielo answered this a few times (once for me

). The ones you buy and raise don't have access to worm eggs to be a host. Clean raised, " you are what you eat".(Paraphrased) I think this question should be in the FAQ in the first page. Also, the ones you buy are a different species than the ones you find in your coop/grain

"wild" bsfl, or mealies?