Mealworm farming

[Kusanar]

My worms are getting pretty big now, but they are getting dark. Some of them are nearly black but very much alive... any idea what's up with them? I'm not worried, just curious.

 

[Latestarter]

Hello

This is my first post on this forum....regarding freezing the oat bran that I use to feed my mealies......does this definitely kill all grain mites that may be present or would they simply hatch out again once at room temperature?
I had a nightmare with grain mites so all advice will be hugely appreciated, I read microwaving them killed them all off , so which is best??? Freezing or microwaving??
Thank you all in advance xx

Hello there @EmmB

and the thread! Do what @aart said and you'll be fine! Hope it all works out for you!

PLEASE HELP!!!
CAN SOMEONE CALL ME I BREED MEALIES AND THEY GOT infested with fruit flies and I see tiny babies walking on the fruit. I can't write it all here so if anyone has time to help me please call me XXX-XXX-XXXX my name is Amanda

Greetings @AmandaP15

and the thread also! First, you really need to go in and edit your post and REMOVE YOUR PHONE NUMBER!

The only way to get rid of the fruit flies is to get rid of the fruit. You shouldn't have "wet" fruit in there (especially during warm weather) in any case. You should be using "dry" stuff like apple slices, carrots, potatoes, melon rinds etc. NOT bananas (or the melon fruit)! Once you peel a banana, it goes brown within hours and will have fruit flies within a day.

They'll lay eggs in the fruit, not the substrate, so though there'll be flies around till all that sweet and moisture is gone, they don't eat the worms or the worm's food/bedding. They want the fruit. I just hope you don't end up with a mold issue as well. Best of luck.

 

[aart]

Quote:
I don't use any fruit in summer...carrots are the best, sometimes put a very small chunk of sweet pepper.

 

[ladyearth]

heck I gave my mealworms some overgrown okra.... LOL and green bean ends and left over cap of whole okra cap that I did not finish eating and eggplant peelings, organic potato peelings,,,,,etc... yeah got some fruit flies anyway .....before much of anything
yeah get fruitflies in kitchen every gardening pickings.. They like organic stuff....esp tomatoes sitting on the countertop LOL
Yeah remove your PHONE number....
try you tube for homemade fruit fly remedy

 

[Mistahbue]

I have trouble with potato slices going moldy. My mealies seem to prefer carrots and cucumber.

Seems like I've got mostly beetles right now. So stupid question. Do they eat the dead beetle carcass? I'm not finding many in the box when I clean it....

 

[Bugseye]

High humidity there? Seems they should have been all over it. My recent experience is having beetles only, no worms. Must have not given them enough water.

 

[aart]

I have trouble with potato slices going moldy. My mealies seem to prefer carrots and cucumber.

Seems like I've got mostly beetles right now. So stupid question. Do they eat the dead beetle carcass? I'm not finding many in the box when I clean it....

High humidity there? Seems they should have been all over it. My recent experience is having beetles only, no worms. Must have not given them enough water.

Larvae(worms) turn into Pupae which then turn into beetles who mate and lay eggs which then hatch into more larvae.

Takes time tho. This website has a good lifecycle chart, tho the rest of the info there is not so great.

Yes, they will eat beetle carcasses, I usually feed them carcasses to the chickens.

 

[xfireman805]

My best calculation is 4200=1 pound. Now the next mystery is how many DRIED meal worms in a pound?

 

[aart]

My best calculation is 4200=1 pound. Now the next mystery is how many DRIED meal worms in a pound?

Keep counting

 

[xfireman805]

I don't think you should have any dead worms. I mean you might have that rare dead one, but mostly no. If it smells bad, that is not a good thing!!!! Where did you get them? I ask because if they don't work with you and make it good, I want to make sure others don't buy from them.