Mealworm farming

[mstricer]

Quote: Did you mean days? 8-12 weeks can't be right.......
Donna you are right I looked on Amy's site
Darkling beetles can start laying eggs as early as 4 days after emerging from the pupae

 

[DMRippy]

Quote: Did you mean days? 8-12 weeks can't be right.......
Donna you are right I looked on Amy's site
Darkling beetles can start laying eggs as early as 4 days after emerging from the pupae

I didn't think that was right, their life span as a beetle is not much more than that. I think I have read 30 days is all they live..... but I know they live longer than that.

 

[cluck-cluck]

I just saw a beautiful light cream colored beetle, almost white. Must have been newly "hatched" No idea what that part of their lives is called, LOL.

I was wondering where you get your screening material? I'd like to screen out the dead bodies from the bran, and toss the live stuff back in. Or is that just stupid, LOL. If the bodies help the system, ok, but I'm feeling a little OCD when I look in the box

 

[Mavrk]

I just saw a beautiful light cream colored beetle, almost white. Must have been newly "hatched" No idea what that part of their lives is called, LOL.

I think that is the pupae stage. I have also heard them less scientifically called "aliens". I think I like the alien term

 

[DMRippy]

I just saw a beautiful light cream colored beetle, almost white. Must have been newly "hatched" No idea what that part of their lives is called, LOL.

I was wondering where you get your screening material? I'd like to screen out the dead bodies from the bran, and toss the live stuff back in. Or is that just stupid, LOL. If the bodies help the system, ok, but I'm feeling a little OCD when I look in the box

I have lots of screen, we got it a Lowes but any home improvement place should have it. I don't know if they would sell a small amount though. Another thing you can do is use a hair dryer to BLOW out the shed skins and dead bugs. That is really all my birds get to eat, what I blow out. I do this OUTSIDE and I use a bigger container to catch as much as I can to feed to the birds.

 

[cluck-cluck]

Do you mean window screening? Is that what you use? Thanks for the info! Interesting idea with the blow-dryer, I'll have to try that! Thanks again!

 

[Mavrk]

Do you mean window screening? Is that what you use? Thanks for the info! Interesting idea with the blow-dryer, I'll have to try that! Thanks again!

From what I have read, make sure the blow dryer is on "low"

 

[onafixedincome]

Suggest putting the bin in the bright light or sun for a while first--the live beetles will burrow and all the deads are on top. Makes scooping them out with a cat litter scoop much easier. Dump the bodies in a pan and the ones that crawl out were just sleeping. Blow dryer on low should get the skins out, but don't forget to wear a mask and keep your mouth shut. (Go ahead, ask me how I found that one out! LOL!)

 

[WildflowerJLH]

I just saw a beautiful light cream colored beetle, almost white. Must have been newly "hatched" No idea what that part of their lives is called, LOL.

That sounds like a beetle that has just emerged from the pupa stage. This is what the pupa look like:

 

[RainbowMealworm]

I meant from the time the egg is layed until it hatches, the larvae go through 4 - 5 instars, and then pupate, emerge as a beetle and then be old enough to lay an egg.