Mealworm farming

[Germaine_11.20]

No you will know when they pupate. They look way different. What you are seeing is a worm that grew too big for it's skin. They start out white and then it darkens and gets harder. At the white stage they are great to feed to a bearded dragon.

Soon you will have alot of extra "skins" on the surface. When it gets to be too much I take mine outside and blow on the top surface to get them off. If you are lucky there will be some wind to help them along.

Hold your breath after you blow because they fly everywhere and are easy to breathe in (not pleasant) and try to stand upwind or you will be wearing the skins. But, that's the easiest way I have found--if anyone else has better suggestions I would welcome them.

Nice pic chickenangel you are on the way to mealworm heaven


Quote:

 

[Cakela]

Oooooooh...

Makes sense. Didn't know they did that, thanks!

 

[hannakat]

galanie ~ Here's wishing your moth-free colony the very best!! ohahahaaaa

rustyswoman ~ Hi! My original plan was to freeze then dry them. They froze so well, and thaw so quickly, I'm satified just freezing them. I've read online where you need to slow roast them for a few hours, preferably on an outdoor grill because they smell while being cooked. I was gonna try it but figured I'd save a step since I like how they're keeping.

I also take them outside to blow off the exoskeltons when they build up. Very jealous that I can' t keep them outside...the humidity makes it too hard to handle for me.

Chickangel79 ~

Cakela ~ They 'molt' (it's called shed exoskelton) 10-20 times before pupating and they are white immediatly after each time. Same with the beetles...they are very light, almost white and then turn darker over the next few days.

 

[Germaine_11.20]

hannakat, thank you--good info there. I just took some out of the fridge and mine were kind of smushed on the very bottom. But freezing and feeding that way...Yes that sounds like a plan.

 

[hannakat]

Quote:
Question!!! My hand is raised!!

How did they get smushed in the fridge? I kept quite a few in the fridge when I first started farming in order to stager the age a bit....kept them in rolled oats with ventilation. No smashed worms

Did you take them out once in a while to let them warm up and eat?

For freezing, I'm keeping them in containers with paper towels to make layers. When I was experimenting, I took a few out and put them on the counter for a while. They defrosted quickly and became the consistency of a live worm. I left them there for a few hours and they started to turn black.

If I had millions, I would try drying them too. Right now it just doesn't seem worth the extra step....who knows though!

 

[Chickie'sMoma]

i was wondering if there is a good supplier out there that many of you might recommend to help me get started with a few worms and beetles? i have seen a few advertising on ebay but i want to be sure before i got any from there.

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Quote:
Question!!! My hand is raised!!

How did they get smushed in the fridge? I kept quite a few in the fridge when I first started farming in order to stager the age a bit....kept them in rolled oats with ventilation. No smashed worms

Did you take them out once in a while to let them warm up and eat?

For freezing, I'm keeping them in containers with paper towels to make layers. When I was experimenting, I took a few out and put them on the counter for a while. They defrosted quickly and became the consistency of a live worm. I left them there for a few hours and they started to turn black.

If I had millions, I would try drying them too. Right now it just doesn't seem worth the extra step....who knows though!

Well I had actually not planned on keeping them in there for more than 2 weeks (and it has been about 6) I just put them in mason quart jars and put lids on. No I didn't take them out to feed or warm up either. They are not in very good shape but the birds ate them anyway.

I didn't want to keep them in substrate because I didn't want to mess with separating them -- but now I realize that I should just toss the lot of it into the feeders and not worry about the substrate. In fact I can even keep them in flock raiser...

Ewww they turned black? Good to know. I would think that we could slow cook them in the oven or even use the dehydrator if we put them in shallow glass dishes that they can't crawl out of. Sounds a bit stinky but heck, people in other countries actually eat these for food. I found an interesting site online that had recipes for mealworm cookies, cakes dinners... Mmmmmm not.

 

[crazy huhn]

Chickie'sMoma :

i was wondering if there is a good supplier out there that many of you might recommend to help me get started with a few worms and beetles? i have seen a few advertising on ebay but i want to be sure before i got any from there.

You can PM me, I do have all stages available.

rustyswoman: In regards of the skins on top of your bins: I have so many big bins that I cannot just blow in my bins to get the skin off. I use a shop vac with the hose attached to the "blowing" end ( test it first, so that you will not vacuum your poor wormies out of your bins....

).​

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Quote:
You can PM me, I do have all stages available.

rustyswoman: In regards of the skins on top of your bins: I have so many big bins that I cannot just blow in my bins to get the skin off. I use a shop vac with the hose attached to the "blowing" end ( test it first, so that you will not vacuum your poor wormies out of your bins....

).

Thank you, I am going to have to try that because blowing all those bins makes me as lightheaded as blowing up balloons for a birthday party. Got to sit down after awhile.

 

[BellevueOmlet]

Who asked for your two cents?