Mealworm farming

[galanie]

Welcome to the world of "We have worms and are proud of it!" The chick feed might soak up moisture too readily so watch for excess moisture in there. I just use oats. I'd like to use bran but don't want to have to store a 50 lb bag and it's too expensive in the grocery store.

 

[cluck-cluck]

Well, after getting back from a 2 week trip, it seems my husband allowed my worm farm to go green with mold/fungus. I got some bran, put it in a new container and picked out anything that was still alive (and a bunch of pupa that looked like they might be alive. I'm wondering what my chances are of saving any of them. If they're still active, will they live? or are they probably going to die? I sure hope I have a chance at saving them

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Well, after getting back from a 2 week trip, it seems my husband allowed my worm farm to go green with mold/fungus. I got some bran, put it in a new container and picked out anything that was still alive (and a bunch of pupa that looked like they might be alive. I'm wondering what my chances are of saving any of them. If they're still active, will they live? or are they probably going to die? I sure hope I have a chance at saving them

I think their chances of surviving are excellent.

 

[cluck-cluck]

Really? A lot of them died, but thank you, you've given me hope!

 

[grammie2two]

I love this thread. It's so full of wonderful ideas and advice. I found it last night and have been reading every single post between household chores (up to page 68 so far). I bought a few mealworms from the pet store and last weekend ordered 2,000 from Uncle Jim's Worm Farm. Now that I've read some of the posts, I sure hope Uncle Jim doesn't let me down.

 

[Tikkajazz94]

I love this thread. It's so full of wonderful ideas and advice. I found it last night and have been reading every single post between household chores (up to page 68 so far). I bought a few mealworms from the pet store and last weekend ordered 2,000 from Uncle Jim's Worm Farm. Now that I've read some of the posts, I sure hope Uncle Jim doesn't let me down.

Welcome to the Mealworm world Can't wait to hear more of you adventure with the little guys.

 

[Tikkajazz94]

So, I need a opinion, Okay, So since I don't want a colonly but I want to have it that beetles are seperated from mealies and etc.... I was thinking of three options. And I want your opinion.

Okay, I can do the three drawer setup, or the top drawer have the beetles, and have screen/wire for the bottom, once the eggs hatch, the mealies would fall to the second drawer and I'd switch out the two drawers.

Second, get two of the three drawer setup, beetles will go into one drawer, after a week or two, they would go to the next then next and by the time the beetles are at the top the bottom would be empty.

Third, get cheap tubaware from the dollor store and do the two ideas in cheap containers

 

[pigeonguy]

I thought I would share how I do my 3 draw set up. I keep 2 of them side by side. On the left side I have the top drawer cut out and screen attached to the bottom. The beetles are kept there they lay egg baby mealies fall to 2nd drawer they grow up and are ready for harvest sift second drawer and bag large and medium mealies take all frass and what ever else is left and put in 3rd drawer and put some more food in with it. (there are a lot of baby mealies in the frass after sifting) Fill second drawer with food put back start over.
The one on the right side is the same except when I sift 2nd drawer I put frass In 3rd drawer on left side. The bottom or 3rd drawer on right side is were the pulpa go to turn into beetles to be moved to top beetle drawers.
Ok some people say 3 drawer systems are a pain because when you open the top drawer the stuff falls on the floor. I don't know how to say this kindly OPEN THE 2ND DRAWER FIRST then open the top drawer the 2nd and 3rd drawers catch what would have fell on the floor. So what a few babies fell in the 3rd drawer they will grow.
I started with 5,000 3/4 inch meal worms in May and now have 500,000 or something like that. All I really know is I filled 2 3 pound coffee cans 3/4 way full and we have been feeding 2 eastern box turtles 10 to 20 every other day since the beginning.
The way I talk you think I think it's easy well I have not been through a winter with then and it gets dry with the furnace running I'm worried they won't make it through that. We don't have humidifiers and I ain't buying one for meal worms.

 

[grammie2two]

Tikkajazz94 - Thank you!

 

[cluck-cluck]

pigeonguy, I'd really like to try that method when I can buy a 3 drawer plastic stand, you explained it very well! I've been confused by the youtube videos, funny, I don't follow those well, I'm better at reading, LOL. They take so long and frustrate me I guess!

If you have space in your fridge, you could put them in hibernation for the winter or maybe they'll do just fine with some carrots and potatoes?

Update on my fiasco, it seems some pupa are turning into beetles and if I'm lucky, I'll have more worms growing in a few months