Mealworm farming

[oneofseven]

Quote:
I went to Lowes and got a 300 watt dimmer switch. I was able to plug in the heating coils and control the temp. I also got some cheap thermometers to place into the substrate. I got the temp to 78-80 degrees. They love it.
Coil is $15-$20. Dimmer is $18. Thermometer is $1.50

Please keep us posted on how this works out. I sounds like a really ggod solution for those of us who keep their houses really cool.

So far so good. House temp 68 degrees - Mealies tank 80 degrees.

 

[Kassaundra]

I put a thermometer in mine too, it is 80-82 I have a bowl of water in each bin, but still think my humidity is to low, so I put a couple layers of newspaper in top and plan on spritzing it regularly w/ water (or at least when I think about it.)

 

[onafixedincome]

*chanting*

OOPA, DOOPA, I GOTS PUPA!!!

Three so far, two are HUGE, one is about a third their size. They are resting comfortably in a smaller container within the main one.

*cheering*

I went through last night and took all the jumbos out to see just how many, of my original batch of 125, made it that far; it was about 110-ish. not too terribly bad.

But...then I counted out enough smaller ones to make up 200 and that was my new bin.

Now, I bought a total of 625 worms, supposedly; one batch, 125 worms, from one pet store and a carton of 500 little guys from another.

Yep, I sat there and counted every darn live worm. I think I hurt myself, but I did it...and whoa! Here's the math....

New box, 200 counted mealies.
Smaller mealies into clean box...SIX hundred and forty some odd????

Um. 625 - 840 means that somehow, either the darn things learned how to fission on me or there was one heck of an overcount of the little ones.

Sure answers which place I'll be going to regularly, doesn't it?

Question for all, though...I'm seeing mealies die with small black spots or small clumps of what looks like poo on the sides of the body just about even with the second or third pair of legs...is this the dreaded mold, since I've been fighting excess moisture? (That's why I moved them around last night.)

 

[blessedchick]

WOW! This is fascinating! I'm totally new to chickens and I was wondering how I could provide a healthy protein source (aside from their boring food, of course) over the winter. I may just have to delve into mealworm farming. Especially since I also have parrots and they are SUPPOSED to like mealworms...if mine don't run screaming from them...

 

[binders]

Update on my mealworm colony:

Bought 2200middium worms in middle of Oct.
Yesterday the last mealworm molted in pupa and most have become beetles. There are a lot of beetles but I'm not willing to count them out. All beetles I get now I am butting into a multi-generational bin so that I don't overcrowd the top drawer.
Lots of tiny wigglies that are now easy to see with the naked eye. Can't tell you how much time I spent hunting them with a mag. glasses when they first started hatching

Moved the middle drawer to the bottom and moved the bottom draw up since it no longer had any worms in it. I haven't fed but 10 worms to my pullets since I got them so that I could breed all of this batch and start feeding from the nex generations. Also thought I'd wait until they start laying!!!! When they start paying me I'll start giving them treats (Just kidding) They get BOSS everyday and will soon start getting their worms. I just wish they would start laying!!!

26 weeks and counting!

 

[oneofseven]

Quote:
Welcome to our crazy little world.

 

[bloom_ss]

OK, disturbing, yet fascinating at the same time...I just saw some serious hanky panky going on in my beetle drawer when I opened it up to check on them. Now, how many normal people out there can say they have actually seen beetle porn? LOL

 

[oneofseven]

Quote:
Hello, my name is David and I am addicted to beetle porn. It has been 15 minutes since my last viewing.

 

[jwcutt]

Quote:
Hello, my name is David and I am addicted to beetle porn. It has been 15 minutes since my last viewing.

LOL It has been 30 minutes since my last viewing, time to go check again...


LOL to funny

 

[Kassaundra]

Quote:
I am a regular viewer of both mealy and dubia porn, I even posted pics of a dubia manage' en-twa (don't know how to spell that )


I wonder if the cyber porn police are watching me since I posted a couple of days ago