What's wrong with my mealworms?

[jlwquilter]

I’m getting ready (thinking hard!) to make the mealworm plunge. I’m so glad you all are sharing your experiences!!

A question: how many mealworms per square foot of surface space is best? I have a large aquarium as well as an under the bed tote/bin I can use for them. I’m wondering how many mealworms to order.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

I'm not sure it matters much, as long as they have enough substrate (bran, meal, etc.) and veggies for moisture. Some advise 2" of substrate, some 4". All I know is that they cluster in the corners of my bins, hundreds or thousands in several little writhing piles, healthy and thriving. My bins (4 for worms) are each about the same sq ft as a 20-gal aquarium; I started with an order for 5,000 and it would have been fine (most of mine arrived dead, but have recovered their numbers and then some). I think they cluster for warmth, maybe?

My son kept his all in one large bin, about as big as a laundry basket - larvae, pupae and beetles - and produced millions. I chose to use multiple bins so I can keep beetles from cannibalizing larvae and pupae, and rotate easier through the growth stages for harvest.

Maybe someone with better advice on space needs can weigh in...?

 

[jlwquilter]

Well, I did it! I ordered 5,000 this morning. TSC doesn’t have wheat bran listed in their website but a local feed store does. $10 for 10 lbs or $29 for 50 lbs. I’m thinking on that.

I did find a research paper on mealworms and it says that population density does effect breeding as well as size. To paraphrase, they like to pile up. But that generates heat which has a negative effect on the number of eggs a female lays as well as the worms don’t grow as big. Bin size isn’t as much a factor (other than having one way too small) since in a big bin they’ll still pile up. Only way to counteract this is to not have too many in the bin, period. Experiment showed that quadruple the worms only produced triple population growth even when plenty of space and food was provided. I didn’t find a optimal number per square foot noted though . Still searching for that.

I’m not finding a lot of science in raising meal worms yet. More antidotal, which is still very helpful of course.

Mealworms/darkling beetles eat animal waste along with lots and lots of other things, including plastics, styrofoam and toxins. And when it comes out the backside (frass) it’s all good! Amazing. I have cows on my property and already use aged manure for my red wiggler compost worms. I’m going to try it for the mealies too. I also have leaves, chicken feed, and pantry items on hand. I’m eager to use what I have.

Let the adventure begin! Lol!

 

[BarnyardChaos]

I did find a research paper on mealworms and it says that population density does effect breeding as well as size. To paraphrase, they like to pile up. But that generates heat which has a negative effect on the number of eggs a female lays as well as the worms don’t grow as big.

I haven't noticed my beetles piling up at all, so I can't vouch for how density affects their egg production. They're always scattered all over the bin. I'm still a newbie myself and only in the 2nd generation of larvae, so we'll see. Thank you for posting that info!

I think my biggest struggle right now has been humidity. All of my pupae died in the last round. I now have a cool mist humidifier running at full blast in their space, which keeps things close to 55-65% now (ideal is 70%). And a new batch of pupae were moved to the bottom bin, where the moist air sinks. I have a small oil-filled radiant heater in their space that maintains temps at about 75-deg-F (ideal is 80-deg), even when it's 0-deg in the garage. (Their space is an unheated bathroom in the garage.)

I've stopped collecting larvae for the chickens, for now - until I see the new pupae producing new beetles. I have not retired ANY of my beetles from Day One - I just keep adding to their bin. Population at the moment is maybe 3-400 beetles. Fingers crossed.

Congrats on your new endeavor! I'm excited to compare notes on how it all goes.

 

[jlwquilter]

I’m eager to see how mine go as compared to yours too!
I watched a YouTube video and his didn’t pile up either. He had a good sized tray with many thousands of mealworms in it. So… I don’t know! Maybe the research bins were small. I’ll have to go back and reread it.
My mealies will be here Thursday!! 2 day shipping was $2 more than 3-5 days and almost the cost of the mealies themselves!
While I was trying to find info on cow manure use and mealies (no luck yet) I came across a video on preparing wheat bran for use. What?! Apparently grain mites is a thing and a big problem - comments were totally in agreement with that - and you should cook the wheat bran to kill the mites/mite eggs. The mites can kill the mealies and are really really hard to eradicate once you got them. Do you cook your bran? Someone in comments suggested microwaving instead of the oven but no details on how were given.
I called TSC and they do have wheat bran after all. And I got a surprise $10 off coupon the other day so it’s perfect I love it when a plan comes together- lol!

 

[jlwquilter]

Decided to not use the aquarium and under bed tote. Both are awkward to work with in their own way. I have bins for the red wigglers that’ll be perfect and fit on my shelf ‘system’ so going with them. Hubby is cutting out the middle part of the bin tops and taping patio screwing over the opening for ventilation but keeping other things out. I always seem to have a random gecko in the house due to sliders being open a lot.
I’m working on ideas to manage humidity. Like you I think it’s going to be a major issue to effectively manage. I don’t have them in a small enclosed room like you do so have to come up with some other ideas.
I heat treated about half of the wheat bran so that’s ready to go. Storing in a plastic bag inside an extra tall kitchen trash can. Remaining is in the freezer.
I have frozen carrots from last season’s garden that I’m thawing out. I plan on putting them on a yogurt lid and setting in the mealies bin. What do you think of that idea?

 

[jlwquilter]

My mealworms finally came this morning. 6 days for shipping - they got held up due to the Texas storm shutting everything down there. Good news is they came thru just fine! Very very few were dead after I sorted them out. Yea! I set up 3 bins in the end - 2 with 4oz each, 1 with 8 oz.
I set them up in bins with wheat bran, chicken layer feed, and Timothy pellets. All heat treated and ground up to at least some extent.
I gave them carrots I had defrosted. They’re almost gone already! I didn’t know/expect that most of the feeding took place on the underside of the veggie. I’ve taken out more carrots plus some small pieces of squash and eggplant to defrost overnight, ready to add to the bins tomorrow morning.
So far so good!

 

[LovePBandJ]

I have some beetles and some pupae and still a lot of live mealworms. I don’t think I’ve hatched any new mealworms yet, although, TBH, I haven’t paid close attention. I would think that I have to have hatched some, given that I started this November 23, 2022, don’t you think? That’s about three months.

I’m not sure how I should be sorting the beetle eggs from the mature beetles? I saw somewhere someone kept felt in the mature beetle drawer and they laid eggs on the felt. Then, they moved the eggy felt to a nursery.

How do you all do it?

 

[BarnyardChaos]

I have some beetles and some pupae and still a lot of live mealworms. I don’t think I’ve hatched any new mealworms yet, although, TBH, I haven’t paid close attention. I would think that I have to have hatched some, given that I started this November 23, 2022, don’t you think? That’s about three months.

I’m not sure how I should be sorting the beetle eggs from the mature beetles? I saw somewhere someone kept felt in the mature beetle drawer and they laid eggs on the felt. Then, they moved the eggy felt to a nursery.

How do you all do it?

To be honest, I've let my mealworms go for the past month or so, only throwing in some veggies once a week or so. I NEED to sort them, badly. I'll do that and report back here what I've got - but I know my oldest drawer (4 months) is crawling with beetles, pupae, larvae, and yes probably eggs by now.

I have beetles in the top bin of my tower, and that bin has a screen bottom in it with a thin (1/2-inch or so) layer of wheat bran. I keep fresh wheat bran in the worm bin below that one, to collect the eggs. They really do fall through the screen. After a month (or maybe two, by now for me), I rotate the bins and put a fresh one under the beetles. The beetle bin never moves, nor does the pupae bin. My four worm drawers rotate, depending on age and development.

 

[LovePBandJ]

To be honest, I've let my mealworms go for the past month or so, only throwing in some veggies once a week or so. I NEED to sort them, badly. I'll do that and report back here what I've got - but I know my oldest drawer (4 months) is crawling with beetles, pupae, larvae, and yes probably eggs by now.

I have beetles in the top bin of my tower, and that bin has a screen bottom in it with a thin (1/2-inch or so) layer of wheat bran. I keep fresh wheat bran in the worm bin below that one, to collect the eggs. They really do fall through the screen. After a month (or maybe two, by now for me), I rotate the bins and put a fresh one under the beetles. The beetle bin never moves, nor does the pupae bin. My four worm drawers rotate, depending on age and development.

Interesting. I wasn’t sure I believed that the eggs dropped through the screen under the beetle drawer. You’re saying that in your experience, this works?! Please say YES!!!