Mealworm farming

[Epreciado]

Okay here is a picture of my sons beetles with a picture of one if mine. The size is incredibly different. Any ideas on what they might be or like I was told earlier just smaller mealworms adults?

 

[subhanalah]

Okay here is a picture of my sons beetles with a picture of one if mine. The size is incredibly different. Any ideas on what they might be or like I was told earlier just smaller mealworms adults?

oh, those are not nearly as big as they looked in the picture!
Weevils, I think? I believe weevils carry parasites (as a secondary host or something), not sure though.
*looks at close up shot zoomed in* wow...is that really what weevils look like? I had no idea, they always creeped me out lol.

 

[Epreciado]

Do

oh, those are not nearly as big as they looked in the picture!
Weevils, I think? I believe weevils carry parasites (as a secondary host or something), not sure though.
*looks at close up shot zoomed in* wow...is that really what weevils look like? I had no idea, they always creeped me out lol.

So if they carry parasites then probably not a good idea to feed to the chickens.

 

[subhanalah]

Do

So if they carry parasites then probably not a good idea to feed to the chickens.

or the lizards. I am not absolutely certain they carry parasites, but I think I remember reading that when I was reading about making sure rabbit/chicken food stays uninfested with bugs.

 

[Epreciado]

or the lizards. I am not absolutely certain they carry parasites, but I think I remember reading that when I was reading about making sure rabbit/chicken food stays uninfested with bugs.

Ok, I will play it safe and just toss it out and give him some of my mealworms to start over. Better safe than sorry.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Okay here is a picture of my sons beetles with a picture of one if mine. The size is incredibly different. Any ideas on what they might be or like I was told earlier just smaller mealworms adults?

It would be hard to identify them to species without examining them in person, but they look like Tribolium beetles to me. I would pull out all of the Tenbrio larvae, pupae and beetles and ditch the substrate and start with fresh materials.

 

[Epreciado]

It would be hard to identify them to species without examining them in person, but they look like Tribolium beetles to me.  I would pull out all of the Tenbrio larvae, pupae and beetles and ditch the substrate and start with fresh materials.

Will they be okay to feed out to the chickens or do they carry parasites that could be harmful to them?

 

[aart]

When refrigerated, mealworms should be kept between 40-50 dgrees. Any coldervand they will die. My refrigerator is too cold, so check your temps. The worms need to be brought out of refrigeration every week to ten days to feed. Allow them to warm up to feed for at least 24 hours before putting them back in frig. I use a cold pantry 50-56 degrees . It serves the same purpose and slows the life cycle down.

After a week or so of testing various locations in the fridge with a remote temperature sensor, I found the 'cheese' compartment in the door stays about 50 degrees.
Have a schedule plotted out to remove them for feeding every week or so for a couple months.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Quote:
I'd doubt they have parasites since you haven't feed your colony anything with parasites. I'd feed them to my chickens, but I'd do it away from their chicken feeder just so it didn't get infected with them.

 

[Epreciado]

I'd doubt they have parasites since you haven't feed your colony anything with parasites.  I'd feed them to my chickens, but I'd do it away from their chicken feeder just so it didn't get infected with them.

Ok thanks, I will get whatever pupae, mealworms and beetles I can and toss the rest out for the chickens to eat.