Mealworm farming

[DMRippy]

Come this winter, they'll have to come in...or I'll be seating each bin in a pit surrounded by horse poo for the warmth! Not a bad idea, considering how allergic I am to the bedding and worms...

Has anyone ever tried the 'classifying' screens they use for evaluating dirt, to sort their mealies by size? It's kind of like that old toy where you shook and shook to get all the teensy balls down to the bottom....

ETA: For debugging substrate, I'll go with Use The Sun--which means you put your bran in a black plastic bag and lay it on the back ledge of your car, with the windows closed, on a hot sunny day. Anything that survives THAT, well....it deserves to live, right? (Ave temp in my car in those circs is 140F-220F, depending on outdoor temps and sun intensity.)

I thought of that too

Seemed logical to me.... the car gets REALLY hot in the sun.... all day in the car should do it!

 

[bobbieschicks]

Come this winter, they'll have to come in...or I'll be seating each bin in a pit surrounded by horse poo for the warmth! Not a bad idea, considering how allergic I am to the bedding and worms...

Has anyone ever tried the 'classifying' screens they use for evaluating dirt, to sort their mealies by size? It's kind of like that old toy where you shook and shook to get all the teensy balls down to the bottom....

ETA: For debugging substrate, I'll go with Use The Sun--which means you put your bran in a black plastic bag and lay it on the back ledge of your car, with the windows closed, on a hot sunny day. Anything that survives THAT, well....it deserves to live, right? (Ave temp in my car in those circs is 140F-220F, depending on outdoor temps and sun intensity.)

The only thing I would worry about is it getting TOO hot and catching on fire like those wheat filled bag warmers. If you do decided to do it be sure to keep an eye on the temps as it only takes a 3 minutes for the car to heat from 78F to 100F. Then be sure to put it somewhere to safely cool down afterwards.

http://www.hu12online.net/humberside-fire-rescue/risk-warning-fire-wheat-bag-warmers/

 

[aurissavannahs]

The only thing I would worry about is it getting TOO hot and catching on fire like those wheat filled bag warmers. If you do decided to do it be sure to keep an eye on the temps as it only takes a 3 minutes for the car to heat from 78F to 100F. Then be sure to put it somewhere to safely cool down afterwards.

http://www.hu12online.net/humberside-fire-rescue/risk-warning-fire-wheat-bag-warmers/

Thanks for the heads up. I have been reading this forum because I am thinking about producing mealworms as treats for my chickens. I thought the idea of heating wheat in the car was a good idea, but after reading the article I decided to look up the heat of combustion of wheat. The artlcles I read said the best storage temp for wheat is 20C = 68F. with no bottom temp. I keep my flour in the freezer so it keeps longer, but I didn't even think about a possible hazard with over heating. It should not be kept over 30C = 86F and can spontaniously combust at 55C = 131F. Cars can get a lot hotter than 131F in the sun so I am not going to try that method. Thanks again for alerting us to this danger.

 

[UrbanEnthusiast]

I need mealworm help!

We have five hens (and hope to get three more soon-ish). They free range all day every day and we have a huge yard with grass, trees, and ivy, so I'm sure they're getting plenty of bugs in addition to their feed, but I just love to spoil our girls, especially in the winter when there are fewer bugs and less time for foraging. Here are the constraints under which I'm operating:

1. SMALL SPACE. My boyfriend and I live about 15 minutes apart in Seattle. I have a tiny 2BR apartment I share with a roommate, and he has a great big old house with a gigantic yard he shares with 7 roommates. So the chickens are at his place. When I suggested a mealworm colony, my BF said he'd be thrilled if I do it at my place but he already has too many pet chores (and really, he totally does) and too much pet stuff everywhere, so I can't keep the colony there. So I'm raising mealworms in my closet. My very small closet. I keep reading that 10 gallons is the best size container for a mealworm colony, but I can't fit that, so I got an aquarium from Goodwill with a screen on top that I believe is in the 5-8 gallon range.
2. CLIMATE. It's summer now, but the cool temperatures set in around Labor Day at this latitude and I can't afford to heat my apartment all the way up to 72 or whatever. I keep it around 65 in the house, and the closet will probably be even cooler.
3. BUDGET. My boyfriend and I both live right at the poverty line.
   
4. IGNORANCE. I've never done this before! Most of the info I'm reading is based on the three-drawer method, but I don't want to do that because I have no interest in touching or looking at the bugs any more than necessary. I wouldn't say I'm squeamish, but I don't think I'll ever be an entomologist.
   

So, do y'all think this will work? Should I get a heat lamp? Some sources mention cleaning out the "frass" (i.e. poo), others don't. Is that something I need to do? If so how? And how often? I already know I need to start with at least 500 or 1000 mealworms and wait at least two months before I harvest any. Any other tips at all from folks with experience raising mealworms?

Thanks a lot, guys!

 

[bobbieschicks]

Unless you're planning on making it a business, I wouldn't stress too much about their environment. Mine seemed to do fine inside our 72F house at the glass door in the foyer (we don't use that entrance). They have plenty of cardboard to hide under to enjoy the dark. I purchased 5000 worms in June and I'm presently at the beetle stage anxiously awaiting their death and subsequent worms! That stage lasts a couple of months so it's good you're looking into it now. I started off with the 3 bin plan, but changed to individual drawers when I realized the other method would be too messy for my taste. I use a plastic spoon if I need to "touch" the pupa or beetles. I wouldn't worry about a heat lamp especially if you're using it in a closet. Could you move them out of the closet into the room under a window for heat transference? You will know whento clean out their environment - it will stink. I use a bucket to hold my mealys or pupa when I was preparing their new drawers for them.

BTW - the chicks will eat any of the stages - so save the dead pupa and mealies and beetles as a treat for them too.

I need mealworm help!

We have five hens (and hope to get three more soon-ish). They free range all day every day and we have a huge yard with grass, trees, and ivy, so I'm sure they're getting plenty of bugs in addition to their feed, but I just love to spoil our girls, especially in the winter when there are fewer bugs and less time for foraging. Here are the constraints under which I'm operating:

1. SMALL SPACE. My boyfriend and I live about 15 minutes apart in Seattle. I have a tiny 2BR apartment I share with a roommate, and he has a great big old house with a gigantic yard he shares with 7 roommates. So the chickens are at his place. When I suggested a mealworm colony, my BF said he'd be thrilled if I do it at my place but he already has too many pet chores (and really, he totally does) and too much pet stuff everywhere, so I can't keep the colony there. So I'm raising mealworms in my closet. My very small closet. I keep reading that 10 gallons is the best size container for a mealworm colony, but I can't fit that, so I got an aquarium from Goodwill with a screen on top that I believe is in the 5-8 gallon range.
2. CLIMATE. It's summer now, but the cool temperatures set in around Labor Day at this latitude and I can't afford to heat my apartment all the way up to 72 or whatever. I keep it around 65 in the house, and the closet will probably be even cooler.
3. BUDGET. My boyfriend and I both live right at the poverty line.
   
4. IGNORANCE. I've never done this before! Most of the info I'm reading is based on the three-drawer method, but I don't want to do that because I have no interest in touching or looking at the bugs any more than necessary. I wouldn't say I'm squeamish, but I don't think I'll ever be an entomologist.
   

So, do y'all think this will work? Should I get a heat lamp? Some sources mention cleaning out the "frass" (i.e. poo), others don't. Is that something I need to do? If so how? And how often? I already know I need to start with at least 500 or 1000 mealworms and wait at least two months before I harvest any. Any other tips at all from folks with experience raising mealworms?

Thanks a lot, guys!

 

[mychookschick]

Urban enthusiast,

That should be a fine set-up! I started raising mealworms last fall, and haven't had to clean out their poo yet! No smell either... AND our house is cold in the winter (it is an old farm house)like 62-67 all winter, and my mealies were fine! Yea, they slowed down a bit, but they are alive and well! Mealworms can survive in the refridgerator, but not the freezer,

 

[Scooter&Suzie]

I need mealworm help!

We have five hens (and hope to get three more soon-ish). They free range all day every day and we have a huge yard with grass, trees, and ivy, so I'm sure they're getting plenty of bugs in addition to their feed, but I just love to spoil our girls, especially in the winter when there are fewer bugs and less time for foraging. Here are the constraints under which I'm operating:

1. SMALL SPACE. My boyfriend and I live about 15 minutes apart in Seattle. I have a tiny 2BR apartment I share with a roommate, and he has a great big old house with a gigantic yard he shares with 7 roommates. So the chickens are at his place. When I suggested a mealworm colony, my BF said he'd be thrilled if I do it at my place but he already has too many pet chores (and really, he totally does) and too much pet stuff everywhere, so I can't keep the colony there. So I'm raising mealworms in my closet. My very small closet. I keep reading that 10 gallons is the best size container for a mealworm colony, but I can't fit that, so I got an aquarium from Goodwill with a screen on top that I believe is in the 5-8 gallon range. Sounds good to me! Remember, what matters is how long and wide it is, not how high. And keep in mind these are bugs - they can survive just about any thing!
2. CLIMATE. It's summer now, but the cool temperatures set in around Labor Day at this latitude and I can't afford to heat my apartment all the way up to 72 or whatever. I keep it around 65 in the house, and the closet will probably be even cooler. We only heat our house to 60-65 F; ours not only survived the winter, but gave me tiny larva this spring!
3. BUDGET. My boyfriend and I both live right at the poverty line.
   
   I paid under $15 for a thousand mealworms and $13 for 50 pounds of wheat bran. I haven't had to buy anything since - I've had my mealworms for about 6 months. I haven't even used half of my wheat bran so far, and I've also been spreading some of it around my chicken pen for them to scratch at. Once you get your farm going you may even be able to sell mealworms on craigslist and get some of your money back.
4. IGNORANCE. I've never done this before! Most of the info I'm reading is based on the three-drawer method, but I don't want to do that because I have no interest in touching or looking at the bugs any more than necessary. I wouldn't say I'm squeamish, but I don't think I'll ever be an entomologist.
   
   All did was keep them all in one bin. I didn't bother doing any fancy stuff - My mealworm farm is erupting fine enough and I have plenty now. I just put them in a bin filled 3-4 inches of wheat bran, a couple layers of newspaper on top (for them to hide in and to keep the wheat bran from sticking onto any food I put in there and creating mold), and I put a sliced potato in there two or three times a week.

So, do y'all think this will work? Yep

Should I get a heat lamp? Nah, I really don't think you need one. Some sources mention cleaning out the "frass" (i.e. poo), others don't. Is that something I need to do? I don't, or at least not yet If so how? And how often? I already know I need to start with at least 500 or 1000 mealworms and wait at least two months before I harvest any. I actually kinda gave a few to my girls early

Just a few though... I wouldn't really harvest depending on how long you have had them, but how many you have. I waited until my mealworms grew up, laid eggs, and the eggs hatched. Then I had plenty I could give. This took about 6 months for me. Any other tips at all from folks with experience raising mealworms? Keep 50-100 mealworms in a seperate container in case your main container becomes invested. This way that container can grow and hopefully be big enough to start another mealworm farm if your main bin gets moths, gnats, ants, or what not, and you have to dump the whole main bin.

Thanks a lot, guys!

I put my answers in green - Just don't put down what I say as law

 

[OkChickens]

I have decided to get rid of my mealworms. If anyone is interested in my colony I have about 20-30k worms. Message me or call me 918-809-524five if interested and I have them in 2 3 drawer bins that will come with them. I'm around Tulsa, Ok. I have way to many things going on and I figured someone might want to buy them. Thanks

Nate

 

[Emily1220]

I have decided to get rid of my mealworms. If anyone is interested in my colony I have about 20-30k worms. Message me or call me 918-809-524five if interested and I have them in 2 3 drawer bins that will come with them. I'm around Tulsa, Ok. I have way to many things going on and I figured someone might want to buy them. Thanks

Nate

WHAT???? You have done so well with them.........why get rid of them now??? But if you must stop, why not freeze them and feed them to your chickens???? They will love you for it!!

 

[OkChickens]

I just really don't have the time to do that. I think someone can enjoy them more than I will. Then they can feed them to there birds.

Nate