Mealworm farming

[Kassaundra]

Quote:
Mine seem to know within moments where to find the veggies, try an experiment put a smaller container inside your larger one fill it w/ substrate from the larger bin and put your new beetles in it w/ some veggies. I would think it's more of a humidity issue then a food issue, but w/ a smaller space the veggies may be able to cause a micro climate that they cannot in such a bigger space. Just guessing here.

 

[OwensMom]

Before you filled the bin with substarte did you wash the bin out? You never know how the bin was stored or what may have been stored in it. Also how do you know pupae are dead? Color? I think that some strains are not as hardy as others. My first batch was pretty much immobile. I'm talking worms! My next batch from a different scource were very active. I think that it would be best to just observe the bin until someone comes up with an answer.
If the school bin is thriving you have your answer.

 

[Kassaundra]

Quote:
It's her beetles that are dying shortly after molt.

 

[OwensMom]

Sorry. Must not be reading carefully!!!!

 

[LibertyChick]

I've been waiting patiently for my 2nd generation mealies to grow up so I could start feeding them to my chickies, especially now that 4 of the 6 are laying. But, a problem has come to my attention and I don't know what to do about it.

It's been a while since I started reading all the posts on this mealworm forum, so I'm not sure where to find it and my search attempts have been unsuccessful. I have a gazillions of tiny white mites on the mealworm bin, both inside and outside. I don't know where they came from and I don't know how to get rid of them. There also seems to be some sort of fluid in semi liquid dots all over the sides of the bin. I now feel the mites on the newspaper too.

I do remember reading about them but trying to weed thru 175 pages will take an awful long time. I raise my chickens organically and mealworms the same, so I'm not about to use any toxic chemicals on them.

1. How do I get rid of the mites?
2. Will they kill my mealworms?
3. Would it harm my chickens if I give them the mealworms?
4. Can I just scoop the mealworms and beetles (I had about 1000 beetles, so I have lots of eggs and small worms...still have several hundred beetles) out and put them in another bin or will the mites be on the mealworms and oatmeal substrate?
5. Could I just pick out some beetles that seem clean and put them in a new bin with new substrate to start my next colony?
6. If I end up starting all over again with a clean bin, new oatmeal and mealworms, how do I keep mites from entering the bin?
7. Did I get mites because I didn't freeze the substrate prior to putting it in the bin?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
LibertyChick

 

[Newwell]

I may just give mealworm raising a shot. Doesn't sound too complicated. They would be a nice treat for my Hubby for fishing & my chickens for eating. Well, I guess we would be eating them to in a way

After reading dozens of pages of posts & checking out some YouTube videos, I think that I will try the three drawer method. I have a nice, warm, dark cabinet above my water heater. They should thrive there. Their food is what I normally keep in stock. Easy enough. Thanks for all the great advice.

 

[OwensMom]

LibertyChicks, WestKnollAmy had the same problem awhile back. Go to her page under breeds. She has a tutorial on mealworms there. I'm sure that you could pm her for advice. As I remember she dealt with the mites successfully.

 

[OwensMom]

Welcome to the farm Newwell! Have fun!!

 

[kuntrychick]

I know this has probably been covered here in this Huge thread, but what is an easy way to clean out the mealworm box when all that's left is their poo & tiny tiny pieces (shavings smaller than sand) of potato? Usually I have noticed this also full of tiny tiny mealworm babies. I do not have colanders nor sifters or anything with holes small enough to save them ALL. I thought about just throwing those leftovers out there to the chickens but then I think about something in raw potato skins being toxic to chickens so I don't.

I filter & filter & strain over & over & get all that I can get into their clean bedding/food/substrate, then I have an extra plastic container for all those leftovers with teeny tiny mealworms....throw in a little new wheat bran & when they're big enough, then I put them in with the others.

????

 

[Kassaundra]

Quote:
I haven't crossed that bridge yet, but I think what I would / will do is take out all the adults put them in the new bin and give the old bin a couple of weeks so all the eggs have had time to hatch and the babies have had a couple of molts under their belts and can be easier sifted out. ( during the grow out time you will probably need to remove pupa as the develop also)