Could Mealworms Have Been Sterile??

[DonnaBelle]

I have had medium sized mealworms I ordered on line back in August. They hatched into beetles, some of which did eventually die, but now I still only have beetles, no more mealworms. Could the ones I got have been sterile?? In other words, only made beetles, but no eggs thereby beetles?

I have been feeding them, they are in a oat/wheat bran mix, they have regularly gotten fresh carrots.

I want some worms for my chickens, they get bored with oats and regular top quaility chicken food.

Donna

 

[Wildsky]

I believe the beetles will lay eggs, I could be wrong, but it might take a while.

I used to put a potato in with mine, cut in half with cut side down, for food and moisture. They do eat the oat and wheatbran mix, I used chicken feed in a pinch.

They probably are laying eggs in there somewhere, although I couldnt' tell you where. If you're changing out the bedding you might be throwing out the eggs.

 

[redhen]

It takes a while to see the baby worms that hatch from the beetle eggs. they are almost invisible..
Sometimes if you look real, real close you can see slight movement in the bedding...

 

[redhen]

yes...the beetles lay the eggs...then baby worms hatch from the eggs..they grow into bigger meal worms...then the worms turn into pupa...then the pupa into beetles that lay eggs....
see the cycle?

 

[Wildsky]

I'm not sure - but if they're too cold they don't grow. (please check on that, there are probably websites for breeding them)

 

[Marlinchaser]

Quote:
YEP I see the cycle.

 

[redhen]

Quote:
[URL]http://planetsmilies.net/machine-smiley-7597.gif[/URL] YEP I see the cycle.

time for another spanking Marlin?... I swear you like them or something...

 

[redhen]

Quote:
yes, they dont do well in cold..

 

[Wildsky]

Quote:
[URL]http://planetsmilies.net/machine-smiley-7597.gif[/URL] YEP I see the cycle.

Thanks Marlin, I couldn't see it till you posted its pic.

 

[redhen]

Quote:
[URL]http://planetsmilies.net/machine-smiley-7597.gif[/URL] YEP I see the cycle.

Thanks Marlin, I couldn't see it till you posted its pic.

yup..hes SO helpful at times..