Mealworm farming

[kizanne]

I bought large mealworm at the end of June. They stayed in a hot car for several hours and that week many started to pupate. Now, a little less than 3 months later I have beetles hatching from what I believe to be babies of my first set of worms. The original hatch beetles are still alive and I have many medium worms and apparently they are pupating but I'm having a hard time finding the pupa. so it is house temp which I set therm. at 77 but I have them in the 'warm' room which is a few degrees warmer. Many of the worms are still smallish so I'd say 3 1/2 months I'll know more in 3 weeks which would be more like 3 1/2 months. Hopefully as the number of pupa increase they will be easier to see got alot of frass.

 

[Klwright1122]

I haven't been on here in awhile...but wanted to mention that I got 5000 worms from a BYCer in late June....also she included larvae and beetles... Those beetles and larvae were put in a bin along with any others that pupated over the next 7 days...I now have a bin full of worms and do u know that about 25 of those beetles are still alive!! And in that bin, yesterday I pulled out ten larvae! so that cycle has gone full circle since June.
I also have another bin that I started on 7/22 with about 200 beetles...and most of those are still alive too...that bin is crawling with worms. Those beetles live longer than 3o days for sure...!!

 

[WestKnollAmy]

I thought beetles were supposed to live 3 months?
I had a huge die out at one time, maybe about a month ago but still have lots and lots of beetles. I started with mealies in April.

I don't watch my farm well enough to see pupae hatch out into beetles anymore. I throw food in, notice I really, really need to add more wheat bran to some and run outside and forget them.

I know 2 bins have too much frass. I scooped up some mealies to send to a BYCer on a side trade and thought then I need to dump it but I am still getting several cups a week of mealies out of there so I have left it. I just need to add more wheat bran.

I don't believe my ExoticNutrition bin is growing nearly as fast as my Speedy Worm bins. But I would have to check dates to be exact. I just know if I forget them for a day or two then they get very hungry! Very hungry!

(Actually I guess it is thirsty.)

I love reading everyone's adventures in mealies and their farming techniques.

 

[oneofseven]

I got my first beetles today. Are they supposed to be reddish and/or white when they are first out of the pupae?

 

[Klwright1122]

Quote:
Yes...they will turn brown and then almost black within a
Day...

 

[oneofseven]

Thanks.

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

I posted a few days back about being towards the end of my first batch of worms and what to do with all the substrate and few worms that were left. (I had scooped out a bunch of worms a while back and started a second colony so this isn't the end.) But I did decide to just dump what was left and start over. I sprinkled it all over the hens run and they had a fiesta. One hen was even in a nest box laying an egg and came shooting out the pop door to get in on the action before it was all gone.

I couldn't stay to watch but tonight the substrate is scattered all over their run and there is no sign of any worms or beetles left. So I think they have a good afternoon.

I think I prefer this method and I'll just toggle between the two tupperware bins.

I'm amazed at how easy the whole process was and it's fun being able to give the hens something they LOVE and that's good for them.

 

[Cakela]

Holy crud my farm just exploded into pupae. I find like 20 throughout the day.

Also have a few more beetles!

 

[oneofseven]

Woo-hoo. Me too. I just finished separating the beetles into a new substrate.

 

[Klwright1122]

Bin started on 7/22 with pupae only...have tons of worms....and still most of te beetles--and found my first pupae today after only 2 months...too soon!!