Mealworm farming

[onafixedincome]

Folks...PLEASE don't use the people heating pads on your worms! They can and will catch fire or set fire to other things, as a family friend found out to their sorrow.

Use something that is designed for the task, like soil warming cables or pads, instead.

 

[kwol]

I guess you would say I am the closest to eating one as I plan to get. My set-up is on the counter next to the stove. Living in FLorida, I hadn't considered heat sources, but in the little bit of winter we have here the nights can get unpredictably colder. I noticed one of you is in Montana - we might even get down to 32 or 31 degrees F on some nights! Anyway, I thought until we reach our nighttime temps into the 60's and 70's more consistently I will keep them inside. But maybe not always next to the stove. If Darling Hubby isn't so darling one night I may be tempted to use something other than fried onions on top of his green bean casserole!

 

[bowen012]

I read an article recently promoting ground mealworms as the future replacement for beef in hamburgers and such. Some of the benefits were the small size needed to cultivate (as opposed to cutting hundreds of acres of rainforest) and the return on final feed conversion.

 

[Lacy Blues]

I think it's time I bought my own cow!

 

[nxb161]

Hi Farmers,
I've been trying to catch up with this thread, but it was started quite a while ago. I think you've all have me talked into trying it. Where is the best place to get them now? I saw older prices of 2000 for $13, and I just tried to search the web for some and saw 50 for that price. I'd like to get some from somwhere you guys have had luck with.
Thanks In Advance

 

[Mavrk]

Hi Farmers,
I've been trying to catch up with this thread, but it was started quite a while ago. I think you've all have me talked into trying it. Where is the best place to get them now? I saw older prices of 2000 for $13, and I just tried to search the web for some and saw 50 for that price. I'd like to get some from somwhere you guys have had luck with.
Thanks In Advance

I bought 1000 from Amy:
Amy's page: http://www.westknollfarm.com

There are links on the fist post I believe. I have also heard good things about grubco.com and their prices seem reasonable, but I don't have personal experience with them. I like buying from people on this forum where I can.

Edit: forgot to mention that I was very happy with my experience with Amy.

 

[Mavrk]

I wonder which will come first. My first egg or my first mealworm big enough to feed to the pullets. At this rate, I am guessing the egg. But maybe it would be more fair to see if all 4 pullets start laying first or the mealworms get big enough first. I still bet on the eggs, but we shall see.

Edit to add: boy does waiting stink

 

[onafixedincome]

I actually got mine from Petco...as long as they got warmed up fairly soon and liquid provided ASAP (I'm talking dumping some of my water in the cup as soon as I get in the car), they revived beautifully and did great in plain bran. Just pick the best price if you have options where you can SEE the stock (you wouldn't believe how many cups of worms I opened and evaluated on # of dead), and pick the best rep and most reasonable prices if not. Best of luck!

 

[Mavrk]

I actually got mine from Petco...as long as they got warmed up fairly soon and liquid provided ASAP (I'm talking dumping some of my water in the cup as soon as I get in the car), they revived beautifully and did great in plain bran. Just pick the best price if you have options where you can SEE the stock (you wouldn't believe how many cups of worms I opened and evaluated on # of dead), and pick the best rep and most reasonable prices if not. Best of luck!

Nothing wrong with getting them at PetCo or PetSmart or PetStoreofYourChoice. They just tend to be more expensive than some of the online sources (although online they have decent prices... sale right now too). Plus I usually suggest not starting with refrigerated ones if you can avoid it. I bet the ones they sell online are not refrigerated, but in store they normally are. I seem to remember an article about how being thawed quickly from refrigeration tends to induce the onset of pupation. Some are too young, many are not fat enough, and this can lead to deformed beetles that often do not survive. But really, you only need a percentage to survive and you are good to go.

 

[DMRippy]

I actually got mine from Petco...as long as they got warmed up fairly soon and liquid provided ASAP (I'm talking dumping some of my water in the cup as soon as I get in the car), they revived beautifully and did great in plain bran. Just pick the best price if you have options where you can SEE the stock (you wouldn't believe how many cups of worms I opened and evaluated on # of dead), and pick the best rep and most reasonable prices if not. Best of luck!

I got mine from petco too. I think I bought 3 containers and about 1/3 were dead. They did replace them. I didn't get NEAR the amount they claimed was in the box. I didn't know that at the time, but I got kinda ripped off. But after about a year and a few months I have MILLIONS.