Giant mealworms - are they sterile?

[cpchicks]

Hummmmm. I wonder how long they will live?

The worms aren't very active lately, and they haven't eaten much. I think I have pupae, so I'll let you know if I get beetles.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

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I'm not really sure what is ideal, but higher seems better. I know that when our daytime highs are around 110 and lows in the 90's, they grow like crazy. Your temps sound pretty good, although the 50's are a bit on the low side.

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That might depend on what temperature they've been kept. They can take a very long time to pupate if kept at low temperatures. The amount of food and how often they are provided it can also influence the rate of development. They can be quite slow if they don't regularly get vegetables.

 

[cpchicks]

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I have two beatles in my box !!

Not quite an explosion yet, but I'm encouraged.

We're having some warm weather, I guess that's what they needed. They sure don't eat much. I put in potato or celery or carrot and usually have to remove it uneaten because it gets moldy. Are they eating the oatmeal instead?

 

[cpchicks]

My giant mealworms are definitely NOT sterile! I have lots of pupae and beetles.

I'm amazed when I see the photos on the other mealworm thread with pieces of potato that have nothing but the skin left. Mine still don't eat much, and they aren't very active. I guess it's our cool weather. We're getting coastal fog in the mornings and only in the 70s in the afternoons. I put them out in the sun today and they started to move around. I've started a new box because I found mold in the original box. I don't think it had enough ventilation. I carefully removed all the worms and beatles and put them in a box with new oatmeal, bran and the powder from chicken feed. I realize I probably lost eggs that were in the moldy oatmeal but it seemed like the right thing to do.

Am I right? Would the mold harm them? I found a couple of dead pupae with moldy armpits! Hopefully the beatles that I have in the new box will lay lots of eggs and I'll finally get that population explosion I've been waiting for.

 

[LindsayB]

I think the only ones that won't turn into adults are the 'superworms'. They are HUGE!

 

[meowteri2]

Superworm. will not turn into a beetle unless they are seperated

 

[flashover1969]

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This is correct information. If you have superworms the only way to make them turn into a beetle is to buy yourself a cheap plastic organizer from walmart then place one worm into each separate cubicle and do no put any sort of food in with the worm. If you do put food in for the worms it will just delay the process.
Once the pupae turn into the beetles you can put them back into the "meal" with some various food and they should start to breed. I did this with a batch of superworms and I was successful, but the process took much longer than using regular mealworms. I ended up just raising mealworms, because they are ridiculously easy to raise and extremely prolific.

 

[cpchicks]

Well folks, I'm back for an update. The giant mealworms I purchased at the feed store must have been sterile, or almost. I got a few pupae which turned into beatles with pale bodies and dark wings. From them I've only found three worms. I haven't thrown them out, they will remain in the garage until I'm sure no more worms will hatch, but it doesn't look good. A month ago, when it wasn't looking promising I got a few beatles from a friend to start a new box. Her beatles were much more lively and slightly smaller with a dark body. They must be a different breed, or strain. I'm encouraged that I will get lots of wormies in the new box. So, my advice is, don't waste your time trying to breed worms from the ones they sell for animal/pet food.
Good Luck ~

 

[KatGold]

Cheryl,

Did they ever perk up and give more eggs? I didn't know about the sterile giant mealworm problem and bought giant mealworms from PetsMart about a month ago (not sure about the time frame). Today I noticed that I have many beetles. Some are dark and others are orange like a June bug. I also have lots of gnats in there that are flying all over my office where I keep them.

Now, after reading all this, I'm thinking about pitching the beetles into the coop and buying not-giant mealworms. But if anyone has had luck with pet store purchased beetles actually producing, I will keep them.

Another question, how long does it take for an adult beetle to lay eggs that hatch and turn into mealworms? I might just wait it out.

Lastly, could I use the smaller mealworms from PetsMart, or would I need to purchase mealworms from somewhere?

Thanks.

 

[cpchicks]

I am no authority. I suggest you read the mealworm thread started by Hannacat. There is some great information on that thread. Most people seem satisfied when they order their mealies online. I kept a few (only 5) beatles from my original "giant" mealworms as an experiment and they are still producing slowly so I can't say that they are sterile. I have pupae and mealworms that are doing well in that shoebox size container. The mealworms I got from a friend are far more vigorous, however. I'm keeping them in a seperate container in my waterheater closet for warmth. I realize that the climate here is too cool for them to thrive without some added warmth. The waterheater seems to put off the right amount of heat.

I think we each have to experiment to find what works in our climate. Getting the right combination of heat and humidity is key.
Good luck,
Cheryl