Mealworm farming

[Kassaundra]

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Wouldn't be my first choice!!!!

I think I'd do top of the fridge before the oven.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Got 2 bins of mealies moved into the living room. I am about to move the other 3 in here, too. The first two are on chairs that are next to the computer so I get to see a lot more beetle action.
Yesterday they had a conga line going. That was interesting! About 5 beetles and some others that were thinking of joining. The music must have stopped or they didn't like me watching because they broke apart and walked away. Guess that means more mealies coming soon!

The bin in the bathroom closet is very active! It is still warm here for now so the windows are open but today all that changes. I will close the windows and the heat will probably cut on tonight. I hope it doesn't dry things out too badly. We have always liked more humidity than not. Skin, sinuses etc, suffer with dry air here. Now the mealies will, too. I am sure I can put a cup in the bin with a bit of wet sponge. I saved a few frosting containers for that very thing. They are high walled and small enough to do well.

I am still working to get all the mealies out of that one bin because the frass is so deep. There isn't much bran left, very tiny amount actually, so I put a piece of bread in there to lure them and then shake them off in another bin. Same with apples. It is working well but there are tons in there! I keep getting more and more. It really makes you see how many live in a colony! I already have taken out more than 14 cups since the beginning of the month! And that is my smallest bin! Also one of my first bins so it is more established.

Anywho, just thought I would drop in and see what was happening here and give an update on mine.

Happy farming!

 

[Bird Collector]

Today is happy meal farming day. I moved to one large bin because the worms turned the bran into frass qucikly in the smaller one. They are hungry buggers. The old bin I let run its course and keep sifting out the baby worms as they grow so I don't lose any . I can't believe how many were still in the old bin just real small to see. It is almost all frass now. I will have to try putting in some bread to get them out quicker as suggested earlier. I keep the bin in the garage and am getting ready to move it upstairs because it is getting colder but I noticed I have some moths. I have a screened lid on it and have no idea how they got in there. Any suggestions on how to get rid of the.

 

[galanie]

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Most of those lids have a space between the tub and lid that isn't evident. I had to put screens on mine differently, a screen stretched across a frame that is bigger than the bin. It's the only way I can keep the moths out. I've been searching and hunting and trying my darndest to find them elsewhere in the house and I just can't. I guess they're just leftovers from the infestation I had before in the mealie bins.

I've no good answers on getting rid of the moths. I had to just pretty much start over in the end when I got them. You might be able to put screens on more tightly and patrol those bins daily for moths and moth cocoons (the webby wads) and eventually get rid of them if there aren't many yet but be prepared to freeze all future bedding and start over if they get worse.

 

[ipana]

There is a device to "catch" the pantry moths. It is sold at Ace hardware stores and online, too, I think. It sits as a triangle with the point at the top. When you set it up, you put the pheromone patch into the "tent." The moths are attracted to that. With the inside of the tent having sticky stuff on it, they get stuck and that's the end of that. I've found it to be very successful. There were two traps in the package for $7. Each one lasts quite a long time...several months.

Try googling for pantry moth traps. I found some at Amazon with free shipping but I can't log in for some reason. You may have better luck.

 

[yankeefan]

Hello everyone!

I'm kinda new around here and new to chickens as well. I have a small backyard flock consisting of 2 BO's, 3 BR's, 1 RIR and a white crested black polish. I got them all at 1 day old just two months ago. Because of our close proximity to thick wooded cover, my birds are in an enclosed run and a secure (I hope) coop. I've lost chickens in the past to predators so I decided to enclose my current flock.

A few days ago, I stumbled onto this thread and began reading many of the posts. After reading about how easy mealworm care is, I decided to give it a shot. That's when I contacted WestKnollAmy and after a few e-mails, I've got 1000 worms in various stages headed my way soon. I'm kind of exited but I really need to get a worm home together.

I called the feed store and they sell 50#'s of wheat bran for $10. Once I've got that, I'll only need to buy a few other things and I'll be ready to roll.

I'm interested in learning something new and I'll bet my chickies will like the taste of my efforts.

 

[Kassaundra]

Yankeefan, welcome to the bug farm!

Yes your chickies will love you like never before when you start bringing buggies out as treats.

 

[hannakat]

Welcome to the farm yankeefan! Sounds like you're on the right track to having a happy bunch of mealies!

WestKnollAmy ~ 14 cups?! geesh girl! You've certainly been doing something right!

And beetles doing the Congo...only yours!

 

[Kassaundra]

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I taught mine the macarena!!!!!!

 

[hannakat]

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I taught mine the macarena!!!!!!

Mine can only polka.