Mealworm farming

[EggSighted4Life]

I need to mention that wheat mill run has a tendency to promote grain mites, even after being heat treated. I have the critters on a walk-about right now under my living rooms shelves where the mealies are housed.

I had oven treated the substrate for 45 minutes at 275F, but that wasn't adequate. At 300F, it begins to scorch, but I suppose I need to do it anyway.

Thanks, I'll keep an eye out. I'm surprised that my bag of wheat bran sat on my kitchen floor for a year with it's top pinched closed only and no signs of mites or anything.

Moths in my bins, a whole other story! And to top that off, learning that rats are problem as well if I store it in my pump house or barn.

Oh, and I quit using melon as moisture. I have a few black ants trying to find something to eat in my bins now, and I KNOW ants will eat many other things (bugs), so I'm a little worried about maybe some pupa, or really I guess anybody in there. Oh, and in my pump house, I also found earwigs trying to move into my bins! Who knew?

ETA: the ants appear to be more disoriented than anything. Maybe looking for moisture during this dry season. They don't go after watermelon stuff still sitting on my counter, so that may be more coincidence than anything.

 

[azygous]

Mites will bloom minimally in a large, untreated sack of mill run, but when the temperature is over 75F and a moisture source is added, katy-bar-the-door! And that's in the treated mill run. If I stored my 50lb sack of mill run in a warm, humid space, I would fear for my safety.

I no longer freak out over a grain mite bloom in my meal worm trays, but the "walk-about" reflects very badly on me as a conscientious house keeper. To the casual observer, it looks as if I've allowed dust and dirt to accumulate in measurable amounts on my floors. Even worse would be if they noticed it had legs.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Dust with legs! (guilty of not having a spotless house)

 

[Chickassan]

My question is answered, I thought the mites were fine sawdust and have been telling the husband to clean up his messes.

 

[azygous]

My question is answered, I thought the mites were fine sawdust and have been telling the husband to clean up his messes.

That's what I thought the first time, years ago, when I noticed the "dust". I'm very curious by nature, so I examined the dust through a strong hand lens. This necessitates getting my eye inches from the "dust". That's when I accidentally inhaled and snorted mites up my nose. Not recommended.

But when I saw the legs and how mobile the dust was, I knew what I was dealing with. By the way, adult mites have eight legs. Here's a link to more information than you really want to know. http://www.the-piedpiper.co.uk/th7g.htm

 

[aart]

I examined the dust through a strong hand lens

I was so curious I put one under a microscope:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/grain-mites.981212/#post-15273340

 

[azygous]

A visage no mother could love....

 

[Chickassan]

I liked them better as sawdust.

 

[Stacy Ann]

I have since changed from the mesh type bottom and all to flat totes, saving the drawers for storage and pupae. I had some old narrow window screens and added the boards to increase air circulation.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

How hot is to hot for my mealworms? I keep them in my garage and the daytime temp. has been getting up to 95 or so and I have been having a lot of the mealworms dying and the beetles also. I've only had them about a month, feeding carrots every other day and no mold that I can tell. Have them all in one container with wheat bran and plenty of ventilation. Any Ideas!

When I got mine the instructions said that 85F was the hottest.