Mealworm farming questions

[Ol Grey Mare]

Does it seem necessary to drill ventilation holes? There’s a 1/16-1/8 inch gap between the drawers... I’m really hoping it’s warm enough in here for them as well.

That will depend on your management....you shouldn't need added ventilation but if you overdo your hydration (veggies) or are in a naturally humid place you may notice excess moisture needing vented. I only drill in these bins that I build because the bottom section needs vented.

 

[Jus1]

It's what I use all the time. I will attach 3 pics and hope it helps. I keep a quail egg pulp tray in there as they love to crawl around. Carrots for hydration, and a screen bottom for shaking eggs. That's picture 1. Picture 2 is how I hold the drawers together with 1 hand on top of the drawer unit to shake the eggs to the bottom. The 3rd picture is intended for you to see the dusty stuff known as frass. It's their waste and you will want to clean that before it gets out of control. It will slow the pupate stage, and can suffocate them. Hope it helps

 

[Chickassan]

5000 sounds like alot but you'll see it isn't that many.
Started with 2000 here and after a few times of treating the girls the population needed to be doubled just to keep a steady supply.
You really do not appreciate how long it takes for your breeders to supply more edible worms when you first start.
You also don't appreciate the fact beetles have no shame what so ever.

Thanks! The 5000 just seems a little daunting now, and I just realized I have no idea how much space these little guys are going to need. “Seemed like a good idea at the time” and getting in over my head seems to be my farming philosophy...

 

[Kris5902]

What do you think my worms chances of survival are? They shipped Monday and now aren’t expected to arrive until February 4th. I’ve read in posts some people refrigerate theirs for storage, so I’m kinda hopeful? I wanted to summarize because my full Rant ensues below:

So... not happy with Canada Post Priority service at all. It cost almost Triple for priority shipping from Ontario, compared to priority shipping from LA (and takes twice as long! Even though my package from USA of bird supplements had to clear Customs!)

My expected arrival Date got bumped, they should have arrived yesterday... now the date has changed to February 4th. Priority my a**! Of course over 3 days in shipping voids my live arrival guarantee. So I paid $36 for worms, $77 for shipping, $15 for cold weather packaging, and now my worms are just hanging out somewhere in our post system.

THIS is why I want to have a meat bird breeding program BTW... what if these were day old chicks? They can’t spend a week in unheated postal warehouses!

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

What do you think my worms chances of survival are? They shipped Monday and now aren’t expected to arrive until February 4th. I’ve read in posts some people refrigerate theirs for storage, so I’m kinda hopeful? I wanted to summarize because my full Rant ensues below:

So... not happy with Canada Post Priority service at all. It cost almost Triple for priority shipping from Ontario, compared to priority shipping from LA (and takes twice as long! Even though my package from USA of bird supplements had to clear Customs!)

My expected arrival Date got bumped, they should have arrived yesterday... now the date has changed to February 4th. Priority my a**! Of course over 3 days in shipping voids my live arrival guarantee. So I paid $36 for worms, $77 for shipping, $15 for cold weather packaging, and now my worms are just hanging out somewhere in our post system.

THIS is why I want to have a meat bird breeding program BTW... what if these were day old chicks? They can’t spend a week in unheated postal warehouses!

Honestly, I would expect that you'll still have fairly decent survival rate of your worms. They are incredibly hardy.
If not, though, shoot me a PM. I recently encountered a couple of folks in the group I belong to that are raising worms in Canada who could probably help you with a more "local" source

 

[Kris5902]

Thanks, I’m going to keep checking the post office daily! Really hopeful. I did accidentally leave some super worms outside overnight, and they survived... thought they were dead for sure, pulled them out to feed and there was a little movement, I put them in a warm room and half were still alive. They made it to Vancouver within the original shipping window... but really the rural post office says to add one business day, not three! Still a little steamed about it.

 

[MissChick@dee]

Carrots are wonderful to use for hydration and food. They really don’t rot. You just have to pick out worms that have dug into them. You could put the oats in the food processor. I also use dried milk. Been a month and today I get to separate my first beetles. I ordered 1100 and when I opened the box I said “that’s it?” Good luck Kris.

 

[Kris5902]

Well I’m probably going to have a chance to get the Wheat Bran myself in town, depending on how things go at the hospital we are either getting back home at 4:20, (unlikely) or 10pm. If they are here today, I’ll buy another tub for them in town, and some carrots while I’m there for temporary housing.

 

[MissChick@dee]

I keep mine in a deep tote. No air holes, they can’t climb the sides. They like some cardboard to hide under. I’ve learned to be patient as there really isn’t a harvest until the third generation. If yours get cold before you bring them home it’s okay. They can go into a type of hibernation. When they have a constant warmer temperature they come out of it.

 

[MissChick@dee]

Well I’m probably going to have a chance to get the Wheat Bran myself in town, depending on how things go at the hospital we are either getting back home at 4:20, (unlikely) or 10pm. If they are here today, I’ll buy another tub for them in town, and some carrots while I’m there for temporary housing.

Good luck with the ankle