Mealworm farming

[Chickassan]

I use a crumped up paper towel on a piece of tinfoil, it works but eventually they'll eat it doesn't matter easy enough to replace.

Has anyone experimented with using a water-soaked sponge, or something similar, to keep mealworms hydrated? That's how crickets are watered, to keep them from drowning. It would be nice to not have to buy carrots.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

You want to keep the bedding dry.
But some do a cotton ball and have it sit in the cap of an aspirin container

If I use styrofoam for bedding/food I won't have to worry about getting bedding wet. I think added vegetables are mainly for water.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

I use a crumped up paper towel on a piece of tinfoil, it works but eventually they'll eat it doesn't matter easy enough to replace.

Can you get by with just that without adding vegetables?

 

[Chickassan]

So far yeah, they're pretty much eating their bedding and when the towel gets dampened they all migrate to it for moisture.

Can you get by with just that without adding vegetables?

 

[aart]

Has anyone experimented with using a water-soaked sponge, or something similar, to keep mealworms hydrated? That's how crickets are watered, to keep them from drowning. It would be nice to not have to buy carrots.

Yep, they crawled deep into the sponge. Put it in a cup too slick and tall to crawl up into for humidity.
As far as them 'drinking' water not sure, anything in your research on 'styrofoam as food' that addressed that?

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

As far as them 'drinking' water not sure, anything in your research on 'styrofoam as food' that addressed that?

No. I have no idea what they used for water.You have to pay to get the full paper.

Do mealworms just need humidity, or do they need to ingest water??

 

[aart]

Do mealworms just need humidity, or do they need to ingest water??

Both, I would think.
Do a test/experiment?
Give carrots to one bin and nothing to another, use humidity in both.

 

[Kusanar]

Both, I would think.
Do a test/experiment?
Give carrots to one bin and nothing to another, use humidity in both.

My understanding is that the worms are ok with air humidity and no moisture source as they can pull the moisture from the air, but the beetles need actual water they can drink.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

One thing I've noticed about using styrofoam is that you can really hear the mealworms munching away. I can hear them across the room.

 

[Cebarmlds]

If I use styrofoam for bedding/food I won't have to worry about getting bedding wet. I think added vegetables are mainly for water.

Do you mean to say they are eating the Styrofoam?