Mealworm farming

[hannakat]

....okay. I tried pulling the beetles out and putting them in one drawer, but I couldn't keep up with it.So now it's just whatever they do.... In all of the drawers it's basically the same. Next to no pupae,many dead pupae, no eating size worms and lots of beetles. I give them veggies, which they seem to be craving at the moment. I heated the substrate before using it and haven't noticed any other creatures. My only two guesses are the beetles eating the others or a virus / parasite.
I hope someone can tell me what is going on and see if maybe I am doing something wrong. Thanks for your comments.

Wendy, it almost sounds like they all pupated and morphed to beetles. That would leave just the 'dead' behind. My colonies go through phases of having deformed beetles. My colonies also go through phases where the pupae do not morph.

Since you have beetles, don't worry...the next generation is coming!!

 

[Kassaundra]

I would not combine them. Over time, you will lose the 'mighty' size. IMHO

We cannot 'grow' a mealworm to "mighty" size, unless like everything else, you take out all of the largest worms and breed those developed beetles to only the largest and so on....

Anyone else?

Just mho, but I think the "mighty size" mealies are one of two things 1) meal worms that have been treated w/ insect growth hormone, rendering them sterile, or 2) really super worms they look very very similar to meal worms except are much bigger, but they are not meal worms at all. They are a whole differant breed they are highly canalbilistic and must be kept seperate even from their own kind and are harder to get to pupate, they actually have to be taken out and put in individual containers before they will even start to pupate.

 

[jk216]

Evening fellow members, I began my mealworm farm couple of weeks ago after reading this thread. The mealies are are in a three tire container, I have used oats and bran for their food which was heated in the microwave before putting in. My mealies seem to love sliced apple and lettuce but not keen on carrots. My question is humidity, how do I improve this inside their containers, also its spring here and we don't have the central heating on that much now so the room they are in although it is warm its not overly. Any suggestion or advice welcome. Also can I say a big thank you for this thread when I first told my DH I was going to start my own farm he was totally grossed out by the whole thing, now he has come round to the idea, anything for the girls LOL xxxxx

 

[reereechickens]

I have a question: My plastic container does not have a lid. Can I cover it with fabric and put tie elastic around it to keep the moths or whatever out? Has anybody tried this?

 

[Zany Chick]

I have a question: My plastic container does not have a lid. Can I cover it with fabric and put tie elastic around it to keep the moths or whatever out? Has anybody tried this?

I've never tried it, but I don't see why it wouldn't work.

 

[jk216]

i have 5 pupae

 

[DMRippy]

I have a question: My plastic container does not have a lid. Can I cover it with fabric and put tie elastic around it to keep the moths or whatever out? Has anybody tried this?

I think that would work fine... just make sure it is a breathable fabric. Polyester will not breathe like cotton. Something dark would also keep the light out. That might be a really good idea! I have a container with no top.... maybe several. I am thinking of expanding my worms to new bins.

I was just going to move the beetles to their own bin and maybe having several going at one time.

 

[Kassaundra]

I have a question: My plastic container does not have a lid. Can I cover it with fabric and put tie elastic around it to keep the moths or whatever out? Has anybody tried this?

I have two observations about that, first I would make sure the bin is secure from hungry rodents, one rodent can wipe out your colony in one night (my colony is still recovering). The other thing is how convenient or easy is it to open and shut? Especially w/ a new colony most people are in and out all the time looking and putzing w/ it.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Quote: I whole heartedly agree. I've always had good lids (metal) for my colonies, but I've suffered terrible losses when the lids were left off. I lost most of one colony to lizards once and another time I lost everything in the colony in a single day to a Le Conte's Thrasher. Since my colony is outside a good lid is essential. I think I'd like to also add a layer of metal screen to the wire lids I have to block out other smaller invaders.

 

[Zany Chick]

I whole heartedly agree. I've always had good lids (metal) for my colonies, but I've suffered terrible losses when the lids were left off. I lost most of one colony to lizards once and another time I lost everything in the colony in a single day to a Le Conte's Thrasher. Since my colony is outside a good lid is essential. I think I'd like to also add a layer of metal screen to the wire lids I have to block out other smaller invaders.

I guess I'm the only person that kept theirs in the living room

. I did move them to my screened in porch while my daughter in law was staying with us. Then again I have a worm composter by my back door and my chicks are in my spare/granddaughters room. I'm just weird!