Don't tell the wife, I'm growing fodder in the 2nd bathroom!

[gtaus]

You can also make harvest easier by making age group bins. You can put window screen in the bottom of a tub (cut bottom out of tub first) and nest that tub in another one with some space between. Put a thin layer of food (oatmeal, wheat bran, etc) in the bottom and put your beetles in this bin, the eggs and small worms will fall through to the bottom bin, simply change out bottom bins every so often and this will give you age ranges. SOME worms will not fall through and will live with the beetles and will somewhat ensure that you have a steady supply of beetles for the next generation.

Yes, I have seen some YouTube videos on that design. Still doing research on this potential future experiment.

 

[Kusanar]

Yes, I have seen some YouTube videos on that design. Still doing research on this potential future experiment.

One more fun fact is that if you don't keep them in a low humidity location, you don't actually NEED to supply them with moisture, they get what they need from the humidity that soaks into their bedding. I have fed mine maybe a total of 10 times and I have had them for years. The worms can also actually pull moisture directly from the air if they have to, the beetles do need a little bit of moisture, but they are ok with just humid bedding.

 

[MROO]

(younger women have no interest in me anymore, if ever)

Awww C'mon, don't be so self-deprecating. You've already shown that the "chicks" dig you. After all, you ARE their fodder-figure!

 

[gtaus]

One more fun fact is that if you don't keep them in a low humidity location, you don't actually NEED to supply them with moisture, they get what they need from the humidity that soaks into their bedding. I have fed mine maybe a total of 10 times and I have had them for years. The worms can also actually pull moisture directly from the air if they have to, the beetles do need a little bit of moisture, but they are ok with just humid bedding.

Good to know. Our house has very little humidity in the winter due to forced air heat which dries everything out. In fact, we have to run humidifiers to put moisture back into the air. My furnace has a built in humidifier, but still it only gets about 30% humidity in winter. The furnace is set to put humidity back into the house on a sliding scale. The colder it gets outside, the less humidity it puts back into the house. So, at 0F, the automatic humidity is set to about 30%, but during a cold spell of -20F, the humidity is set to drop to only 15%. The sliding scale is needed to prevent frost and ice forming on the windows and doors - which would lead to premature aging and rot. I don't know what humidity level is needed for meal worms or beetles, but I do know that most of the winter our human skin is dry and cracking if we don't apply moisturizing lotion to our skin.

 

[Mshadows89]

I live in the U.S.A. What country do you live in?

Israel but lived in usa all my life

 

[Kusanar]

Good to know. Our house has very little humidity in the winter due to forced air heat which dries everything out. In fact, we have to run humidifiers to put moisture back into the air. My furnace has a built in humidifier, but still it only gets about 30% humidity in winter. The furnace is set to put humidity back into the house on a sliding scale. The colder it gets outside, the less humidity it puts back into the house. So, at 0F, the automatic humidity is set to about 30%, but during a cold spell of -20F, the humidity is set to drop to only 15%. The sliding scale is needed to prevent frost and ice forming on the windows and doors - which would lead to premature aging and rot. I don't know what humidity level is needed for meal worms or beetles, but I do know that most of the winter our human skin is dry and cracking if we don't apply moisturizing lotion to our skin.

Then in winter they would probably need moisture added. Mine live outside, so they have whatever humidity is out there and they do fine. They also overwinter pretty well though all production stops there aren't many if any losses due to cold.

 

[Sequel]

Awww C'mon, don't be so self-deprecating. You've already shown that the "chicks" dig you. After all, you ARE their fodder-figure!

​

 

[Papa John59]

I agree....#4! And this is an international request! Since you got me to build my tower, I will follow your lead on this! But as we are expecting weather in the 70s for the 10 days (yes here in Germany!) I have yet to bring my tower in the house.

 

[Henry&Friends]

I am telling your wife!

 

[Ginmary]

4! 4! I vote #4! Tell her it's all about BYC and you couldn't tell her about it yet because we all want to MEET HER and you promised us a picture of HER, your loving, supportive wife, posing WITH the tower when the barley is growing good, and you wanted it to be a SURPRISE!!!!!

NO!!! #4 is not a good idea. You do not want her to know about BYC. Her curiosity may urge her to check it out. If she finds this thread you will lose all excuses for the rest of your life (married life at least)