Mealworm farming

[azygous]

Just the standard size mesh screen that keeps out mosquitoes and flies. This thread is very long, but somewhere there are photos posted showing the cut out trays with screen glued over them. If not mine, others have also posted their setups. Just start at the beginning and click through until you see what you're looking for. If you don't find any that answers your questions, let me know and I'll photograph my trays and post them.

 

[aart]

Just the standard size mesh screen that keeps out mosquitoes and flies. This thread is very long, but somewhere there are photos posted showing the cut out trays with screen glued over them. If not mine, others have also posted their setups. Just start at the beginning and click through until you see what you're looking for. If you don't find any that answers your questions, let me know and I'll photograph my trays and post them.

@chixcoop Try using the 'view all photos' feature on the right hand side of page up near the top.

 

[chixcoop]

Sorry these are upside down, but do you guys think that I have more room in here for another 1000 mealworms? I already have about 950 in there, with 2 inches of rolled oats.

 

[Mini Meat]

Beetles not only eat the substrate, they eat other sources of cellulose that you place in there, such as toilet paper rolls and newspaper. It's the vegetable matter where they also get their moisture from, in addition to cellulose.

Thank you. That confirms what i suspected.

I have an in at a feed store and may be able to get bales of ruined oat and grain hay on the cheap. I am thinking I will set these in my chicken yard, jamb some big carrots down in them, and then dumb in a bunch of meal worms. I will not open the bales but the chickens can still tear a bale to shreds, getting any grain and worms the find. Should keep the birds pretty busy.

 

[chixcoop]

How hot should mealworms be kept in the winter to grow faster? Is 71 too cold (or not warm enough)?

 

[Latestarter]

Ideal temp is ~80. They'll grow faster at 90, but that's pushing the upper limit... higher may kill them. 70 is fine unless you want to pay the electric bill to keep worms at 80...

 

[rhythmwhipsers]

I have just started my first batch of mealworms. They're 200grams on chicken starter feed and potatoes. I'm now an official farm girl! Yippee!

 

[Clumsybee]

Hi,I just read to page 161 out of 275! I feel like I know everyone I bought 500 mealies last week and found this site! After reading so much on here I went ahead and ordered 5000 more lol Just a little excited to start my farm! One of my teen DD's has been raising snakes, a leopard Gecko and a bearded dragon so it just made sence for me to raise mealworms for my birds and she is raising crickets, mealworms for her critters. I am a beekeeper with a large apiary and just love bugs! LOL I am useing a 7 bin tower. My DD is doing a 1 bin set up so we will compare our reults to see works better lol I am useing oats, chick feed and cornmeal. That is what I had on hand but after reading this thread, I am switching to wheat bran, oats and chickstarter baked in the oven, I dont own a microwave. I only have one bin drawer wih worms so I can switch out and start with mite free substrate I hope! I am feeding carrots, apples and spuds. Right now my 500 are in a bin drawer on my incubater staying warm.(after reading about it on here! Thanks for the advice!) I found 3 pupa today! I shhuld get the other 5000 on Friday or Monday!! Thanks everyone fkr providing such a wealyh of adivice and information here, it has helped me so much! I am off to finish reading the rest of this thread now

 

[Arielle]

Hi All, son was feeding and cleaning today, and collecting beetles and mealies and he had a question.


THe bran is replaced by very fine round beads.... I assume frass..... correct me if need be...... how to remove some of this....

Worth the loss of some eggs and tiny larves?? An can it be used to fertilize in the garden???? Suggstions?? It is about 75% of the material in 3 bins.

 

[aart]

Hi All, son was feeding and cleaning today, and collecting beetles and mealies and he had a question.


THe bran is replaced by very fine round beads.... I assume frass..... correct me if need be...... how to remove some of this....

Worth the loss of some eggs and tiny larves?? An can it be used to fertilize in the garden???? Suggstions?? It is about 75% of the material in 3 bins.

Set aside frass and give it a few weeks...or more......in warm place.
Any remaining eggs will hatch and larvae can be sifted out.
Have read frass can then be used as fertilizer, but I don't know how to apply.