Mealworm farming

[hannakat]

Pick up a carrot, celery, apple and quickly look at the bottom and in the substrate....they burrow down fast so look quickly! Wish I lived closer....I'd come round up some of them there wormies for you to see!!

Yeehaaa!

 

[WestKnollAmy]

I got wee wormies!!!!!!! I picked up the carrot off the substrate that had beetles crawling all over it and turned it over, quickly put my lighted magnifying glass on it and there they were!!!!!

 

[gale65]

Quote:
So far ours only has redworms and earthworms and some gigantic mealworm looking grubs that are about 1/4" diameter. I'll have to ask if they can get regular mealworms.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Had to show them off!
I got worms back in what....April? May? And I already have babies!!!
This is fantastic!

Still fighting whatever those bugs are in the other bin but I am not thinking grain mites now. They had swarmed out of the bin, over the edge, down across the table, down the metal leg and onto the floor where there was a pile of them on my dark blue carpet. Grain mites would have stayed with the grain, I would think. And they are very attracted to light. They are always close to the light source and that is where they were headed when on the floor. Tinsy weensie little white bugs.

Introducing......drum roll please..........
Angela, Alonzo and Annie.....

You wouldn't believe the hard time I had putting tags on them so I could identify them!

 

[OwensMom]

Yeah Amy, I'll bet those leg bands were a challange!!! Congrats on the babies!!! I haven't found any babies in mine yet but must have 1,000 pupae and lots of beetles!! I'm going into town one day to buy another 25qt. plastic container to start another colony. Cannot imagine having to many worms since the girls eat them at lightening speed. I would be happy if I could feed a subatantial meal of worms every day!!!!

 

[Chickangel79]

I HELD WORMS!!!
I HELD WORMS!!!

I got about 300 today, my farm bins are almost built and my sister is ready to commit me to the local nuthouse.

 

[yinepu]

Quote:
Tell your sister that at least you're not running around yelling "I HAVE WORMS!!"

 

[Chickangel79]

very true!

Not sure what I will do when they are beetles but we will see, how long does it take to get them to beetles ?

 

[OwensMom]

Quote:
You are one brave soul. I've done alot of things with the worms but I still use a plastic spoon to move them!!

yinepu-Oh so funny!!

 

[WestKnollAmy]

LOL
I do not mind the worms and have finally gotten used to the beetles. Still kinda get the ebby jeebies when I move the paper and hear them but I do not mind them on my fingers. I was so excited to see the baby worms that the beetles on the carrot did not bother me at all. They did not try to get on my hand or anything. I don't think they like human flesh near them like caterpillars or Praying Mantis.

Oh yeah, when I saw the worms on the carrot with the magnifying glass it made my DH come running as I was yelling "I have worms! I have worms!" He thought I really had some gross problem there!