Mealworm farming

[aart]

Quote: I think the eggs are microscopic and not visible to the naked eye...as are the newly hatched larvae.
You'll see the bran 'heaving' before you see an individual larvae. The warmer your bin the faster they will hatch.

This site has a good life cycle timeline.......but the rest of the info there is highly suspect, especially the feeding and bedding, so reader beware.

 

[Frazars Farm]

My experience has been to get the bins, the bran, and the worms. The rest will fall into place. Happy reading! Happy "farming!"

Thanks!
Worms ordered, and on the way. Bins and bran acquired. Now just a day or two to learn all I can before they get here.

 

[Frazars Farm]

I am on page 138, and have not seen this mentioned yet, but if it has I am sorry...

Does anyone get more frass than they know what to do with? Obviously it gets added to the garden / compost, but if some one were to get too much, what would they do with it?

 

[zarafa121]

Thanks!
Worms ordered, and on the way. Bins and bran acquired. Now just a day or two to learn all I can before they get here.

Mealworm farming has been one of the highlights of my summer. I started out small (50 worms) and became almost as excited when the first beetle emerged as I did when I found my first egg. It is interesting, the information out there is endless (google mealworm farming for lots of fun reading), and it's fun. I have yet to get to the egg hatching stage and am eagerly anticipating finding lots of larvae (when they become visible!). I'm sure the girls will love them this winter when they can't get grasshoppers and crickets. Let us all know how it goes, and most of all have fun with it!

 

[dstinett]

Would you ever believed bugs could be so exciting??? Love my bugs!!!!

 

[evemfoster]

I am on page 138, and have not seen this mentioned yet, but if it has I am sorry...

Does anyone get more frass than they know what to do with? Obviously it gets added to the garden / compost, but if some one were to get too much, what would they do with it?

I have put it in the garden a couple times a year. Spring and late fall. Now days i container garden (the local ground is all rock) and store the frass in old laundry soap containers, ready for spring planting. Oh i have over a hundred containers to fertilize so have never had enough frass. But i keep hoping.

But back when i first started with mealworms and didn't have anywhere to use the frass i sprinkled it onto the grass. It turned the grass a dark green.

 

[Frazars Farm]

On page 249 now...

I'm reading about what seems to be a large number of folks getting into farming the mealworms, but I am curious... does anyone know how many people stay with it, and are still doing it 3-4 years later?

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

On page 249 now...

I'm reading about what seems to be a large number of folks getting into farming the mealworms, but I am curious... does anyone know how many people stay with it, and are still doing it 3-4 years later?

That's a good question. It's hard to know since so few stay around on BYC for that long to report back. I've kept mine going for decades because it's so easy and I've always had something I needed to feed mealworms to. Oh, BTW, you don't have to read the entire thread, that's a lot of reading of similar questions being repeatedly asked and answered. We don't mind in this thread, If you have a question, just ask!

 

[dstinett]

On page 249 now...

I'm reading about what seems to be a large number of folks getting into farming the mealworms, but I am curious... does anyone know how many people stay with it, and are still doing it 3-4 years later?

i am going on my 3rd year with no intentions of stopping. It would be great to pass down to my daughter

 

[evemfoster]

On page 249 now...

I'm reading about what seems to be a large number of folks getting into farming the mealworms, but I am curious... does anyone know how many people stay with it, and are still doing it 3-4 years later?

I have been growing mealworms for 5 or 6 years I started feeding bluebirds. I grew way too many for the few bluebirds around here. So i fed them to any bird that came along. and still had too many so i cut back on the worms.

Its far more satisfying to be able to grow all my container will allow and feed a large bunch to the chickens daily.