Mealworm farming

[anklebiter]

Quote:
Actually I was thinking of buying him out. I made him an offer on all of them plus bins, bedding, etc. and he turned it down. Seems like he's just selling extras, not selling out.

 

[oneofseven]

Quote:
I can see it now - Beetle Voyeurism - the hottest new craze on BYC! Click Now to watch the Live Beetle Cam!

Sounds like the makings of an HBO series.

 

[BeccaSmith]

Well my meal worms are in the permanent location now...humidity around 60 to 70%, temps around 70 to 75 during the day and evenings in the low 60's. While some are out and about and some are feasting on an apple slice and some carrots, I still have large groups that pile up in a corner and they look like they are trying to crawl out...but I know that is not possible to do since the bin is slick plastic and the sides are to tall. I am wondering if they just need time to settle down or if there is something I can do or not do to make them happy or if this is a normal behavior?

 

[Kassaundra]

Quote:
My worms congregate at the corners also. And pics I've seen on line of other bins they are usually that way, so I'm assuming it is natural instinct.

 

[binders]

Quote:
For what it is worth, mine did the same thing.

 

[loanwizard]

I have been lurking here for a while, just finished reading most of it I believe. I bought 1000 mealies around September. I feed them maybe once a week. I have them in a 10 gallon fish tank in dry cream of wheat (Its what I had) and rolled oats. I have a couple dozen beetles and a couple dozen (just by looking, I don't spend a lot of time with them) pupae. Still quite a few mealies too. Lots of dead ones. Temp is usually 70 degrees, under table. Is it normal to see lots of black dead ones. Humidity is usually in the upper 40's. Seems like it should have turned over by now. I expected that 1000 to turn to 15,000 by now, but with 1st round of beetles, I don't know....

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Quote:
It's not normal to see many dead mealworms. Did you have a humidity spike during that time? If not, I suspect your problem might be the substrate. I don't know a lot about cream of wheat, but I wonder if it isn't missing some critical parts of the wheat kernel that are important to mealworm nutrition. I'd look for wheat bran asap and pour it over top.

 

[galanie]

Loanwizard, you dont mention what you're feeding them, but like above I wonder if the cream of wheat doesn't have something bad there or is missing something they need.

 

[loanwizard]

I will change to the wheat bran. I have it on the table. I feed potatoes, apples, and or carrots. Not very often I am afraid. How often do you all feed? They don't seem very active. Heat and humidity stay near the same. They're under my dining room table lol! I am a bachelor, I can put them wherever I want.

I must say, I dearly love the internet. SO much information and so quick.

Thanks in arrears and advance.

Shawn

 

[hannakat]

Quote:
Welcome Shawn!! So happy you joined us!!

Sorry your colony isn't developing. Must be the cream of wheat.... even all rolled oats would be good. Have to think it's the substrate. I've kept mine around 70 for most of the summer and they developed fine.

You don't need to feed them very much, and putting more veggies/fruit in the colony than they can consume in a day is a recipe for problems. They do better with less....not more.

Find the warmest location (Not in full sunshine though), switch out the substrate, and let us know what happens.

btw....I use a pair of long tweezers to pick out the dead black worms.