Mealworm farming

[drewskimac]

I feel like such a proud mummy! My first beetles "hatched" today! I have had the mealworms less than a month so I must be doing something right!

congradulations!!!

 

[birdman55]

super excited for you

 

[Cluckies]

Pretty soon you'll be crawling with beetles!

 

[Sidhe13]

I already am! Yesterday 11 more had hatched! Haven't checked yet today... and the pupae are still forming!

Will be getting a new batch of wormies next week to replace the ones who are moving on.

And it turns out one of my cats reckons they are delicious hahahaha

 

[drewskimac]

I already am! Yesterday 11 more had hatched! Haven't checked yet today... and the pupae are still forming!

Will be getting a new batch of wormies next week to replace the ones who are moving on.

And it turns out one of my cats reckons they are delicious hahahaha

I've got about 30 pupae forming everyday, but i still only have 11 or 12 beetles. For some reason mine keep hatching out deformed.. hmm... however, i just got a dubia roach colony started up. You should look up how that is done, it may interest you!

 

[Sidhe13]

Are the the giant mealworms? They commonly hatch deformed due to their larger size...
I am honestly not a big bug lover... but i love earthworms and mealworms have 'wormed' their way into my heart...firstly a a live food, then just because of their ease and lack of ick factor!
I have always wanted some beehives too. I even have the gear...just no hives.

I will google the roaches!

 

[Sidhe13]

20 beetles now...and i am sitting watching number 21 and 22 hatch out...
Speaking of deformaties, i have some that have not-right wings....is this the type of thing you mean?
I just did some research and have decided not to cull the deformed wing beetles...they will still breed so I can lose nothing really since neither I nor my chooks require them to fly or be genetically pure.

 

[Cluckies]

I get one here and there with a deformed wing, I didn't cull them either as they still seemed to be going about their business without issue.

 

[drewskimac]

20 beetles now...and i am sitting watching number 21 and 22 hatch out...
Speaking of deformaties, i have some that have not-right wings....is this the type of thing you mean?
I just did some research and have decided not to cull the deformed wing beetles...they will still breed so I can lose nothing really since neither I nor my chooks require them to fly or be genetically pure.

Well, i am talking about just regular mealworms. And, well... I would say it is a bit worse than deformed. It's as if the pupa only halfway turned into a beetle

I'll include a picture. I also have some with a deformed wing (generally, it happens to me when the molt gets stuck to the pupa's shed while it is turning into a beetle. These seem to get along fine for me as well.

however, here is what i'm referring to:


They can wiggle their legs around but they cant walk around at all and they just lay there wiggleing 24/7

 

[Bugseye]

Ugh, I dunno. I think I've had some like that, but I don't tend to track them and just go on feeding. The hens are super excited over this treat. The farm has improved so much since I upped their veggies.