Mealworm farming

[kukupecpec]

My only thought would be a reptile heating mat. you can attach it to the bottom of the container, if you are using a single container.... you could switch to a single tote for the cold months. If you do go below freezing, it will kill the colony. The bug problem, likely won't be with the colder temps but i am not familiar with what insects you have there. the heat mats don't get super hot, usually 90 at most. Mealies love warm temps and develop a LOT faster. If that won't work for you, that would be my 2nd option too, make a hay barrier around it. Hope that helps

Oh that's an AWESOME idea! I use a cookie tin heater for the seramas in the that coop so I have a plug over there and everything! If I put one underneath the drawer set and then hung two more on the sides, do you think that would help all three drawers keep cozy? How hot is too hot for them? I can definitely put a thermometer in there to check but I wouldn't know what would be bad haha. It should stay pretty darn dry, we rarely have any wet weather or regular humidity.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Oh that's an AWESOME idea! I use a cookie tin heater for the seramas in the that coop so I have a plug over there and everything! If I put one underneath the drawer set and then hung two more on the sides, do you think that would help all three drawers keep cozy? How hot is too hot for them? I can definitely put a thermometer in there to check but I wouldn't know what would be bad haha. It should stay pretty darn dry, we rarely have any wet weather or regular humidity.

I bet it will work! Yes they need to stay dry, so you should be all set. Be sure to check it often at first... the reptile mats seem to run a little cheaper than seedling mats too, but they all work the same way. good luck

 

[kukupecpec]

I bet it will work! Yes they need to stay dry, so you should be all set. Be sure to check it often at first... the reptile mats seem to run a little cheaper than seedling mats too, but they all work the same way. good luck

Oh wonderful! Thank you for the awesome idea! I will have to let you know if it works and I'll take some pictures when I get it set up. I just got my first 2000 mealies from West Knoll Farms so I am super excited about getting it all set up and running so my chickens can be even more spoiled!

Belle and Taco (seramas) wear diapers and get to come to school with me haha

 

[johnmw1]

Hi John,
Just their movement, tunneling and digging will cause the eggs and worms to sift down into the drawer below. I was very skeptical, but it works GREAT! the eggs and worms are so tiny they just fall right through. I mentioned to lacy also, i will have my daughter take pics of mine, hope it will help.
Regards
Janet

Hi Janet,

Yes I to am a bit skeptical, but if that's how they do it who am I to argue

.

Am looking forward to your photos!

I have the three drawer setup but I think I have them setup incorrectly? Drawer 1 has the mealies, drawer 2 has pupa, drawer 3 has my beetles, but I find I'm constantly sieving draws 1 & 2 because of the constant change from worm to pupa and then pupa to beetle. Perhaps I should have pupa and beetles as one so I don't have to constantly sieve the pupa drawer? As yet because of my skepticism I have not placed the wire in my beetle draw but I will try and do it this weekend.

Cheers,
John

 

[DMRippy]

It works.... really it does. You would not believe how much bedding falls through. When I take the top bin off, I always make sure the screen part is over something so I don't lose my eggies

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Oh wonderful! Thank you for the awesome idea! I will have to let you know if it works and I'll take some pictures when I get it set up. I just got my first 2000 mealies from West Knoll Farms so I am super excited about getting it all set up and running so my chickens can be even more spoiled!

Belle and Taco (seramas) wear diapers and get to come to school with me haha

Oh my, i just love them! They look very content in the car too!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Hi Janet,

Yes I to am a bit skeptical, but if that's how they do it who am I to argue

.

Am looking forward to your photos!

I have the three drawer setup but I think I have them setup incorrectly? Drawer 1 has the mealies, drawer 2 has pupa, drawer 3 has my beetles, but I find I'm constantly sieving draws 1 & 2 because of the constant change from worm to pupa and then pupa to beetle. Perhaps I should have pupa and beetles as one so I don't have to constantly sieve the pupa drawer? As yet because of my skepticism I have not placed the wire in my beetle draw but I will try and do it this weekend.

Cheers,
John

John,
Its really up to you how you set it up. That's the beauty of it all. I started out separating them all too, got too tedious and time consuming. (I wear a mask now too, the frass makes me cough and wheeze) Now i just grab beetles as i see them, and move them to the "beetle drawer" the one with the screen bottom. My 1st big bin already has 2nd generation beetles, and my first generation beetles are still quite alive and kicking. Hoping to pin my daughter down tomorrow for some pictures...
Regards
Janet

 

[johnmw1]

It works.... really it does. You would not believe how much bedding falls through. When I take the top bin off, I always make sure the screen part is over something so I don't lose my eggies

Thanks for the reply, yes I really must just accept the concept and live with it, but until I actually place the wire in the bottom I'm not going to see for myself. Good tip on having the screen over something else so as not to lose the precious cargo.

John,
Its really up to you how you set it up. That's the beauty of it all. I started out separating them all too, got too tedious and time consuming. (I wear a mask now too, the frass makes me cough and wheeze) Now i just grab beetles as i see them, and move them to the "beetle drawer" the one with the screen bottom. My 1st big bin already has 2nd generation beetles, and my first generation beetles are still quite alive and kicking. Hoping to pin my daughter down tomorrow for some pictures...
Regards
Janet

Hi Janet,

Yes as I'm discovering there does indeed seem to be multiple ways of doing these setups. I think I will probably just keep pupa and beetles in the same container so as at least I'm not constantly sieving No 2 drawer, that also frees up one drawer for other things?


Funny you should mention about a mask as I have recently developed this cough and wheeze, but I just put it down to all my years as a carpenter using and cutting asbestos and breathing in all that lethal dust, something which was not known about at the time as to how deadly this truly was.

Cheers,
John

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

It works.... really it does. You would not believe how much bedding falls through. When I take the top bin off, I always make sure the screen part is over something so I don't lose my eggies

Oh you are so right, and the tiny wee wormies too, i can barely see the lil buggers!

 

[Tikkajazz94]

Hey guys, I have a question... I have baby mealies now, and I was wondering when they'll be bigger, so I could attempt to pick them up with out squishing them.