Mealworm farming

[Mavrk]

question- I need to add some wheat bran to our worm container, I read that I should heat it up in the oven 130 degrees for 15 minutes to make sure it is bug free- can we microwave the bran and if so how long?

I recommend an oven of 200 degrees for 20 minutes and let it cool in the oven. 130 for 15 minutes is really saying that the bran needs to be at 130 for 15 minutes, not the oven. You can either leave it at 130 for a long time or just up the temp to 200 for 20 minutes or so. 2 hours is way too long in my opinion. I also think that microwaves heat too uneven and you might get some but not others.

 

[AngieO]

question- I need to add some wheat bran to our worm container, I read that I should heat it up in the oven 130 degrees for 15 minutes to make sure it is bug free- can we microwave the bran and if so how long?

Put it in the freezer for a day or two. If you heat it, you may lose some of the nutritional value from what I understand. Whereas freezing will kill off any potential problems without affecting nutrition.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote: if you remove the moisture, the mites will die out. Put them on a reptile mat or under a heat lamp. kill em out. The mealies wont be effected a bit, and will get a growth burst from the heat too. Win-Win!

 

[DMRippy]

Right on, DM Rippy. Vegetables always come last. YUK. I gave my mealworms sliced tomato yesterday and they made it disappear! They must know its really a fruit.

I hate tomatoes.... fresh tomatoes. I like them cooked. I did find some cherry tomatoes I LOVED I even CRAVED them when I was pregnant.... didn't get enough of them. Have not found them since. Maybe this year I will plant some. Matt's Wild Cherries... if anyone wants to know.

 

[DMRippy]

Hens and Roos, I ready on this thread that wheat bran should be baked 2 hours at 200 degrees, then let cool prior to using (don't want to burn the poor things) or that you can put it in the freezer to 2 days prior to using (allow to come to room temp). I don't recall microwave instructions. When I started I baked mine in the oven because I was in a hurry to get started. I put the extra in gallon freezer bags and stacked them in my chest freezer so they are ready when I need them.

NOOOOOO. You just need to kill them not cook them. 2 hours is way too much. I put them in a 200 degree oven for 15-20 mins and turn the oven off and leave the bran in the oven to cool. NOTHING is going to survive that.

You can microwave them but the key is 15-20 mins at an internal temp of 130 degrees.

 

[DMRippy]

Quote:
I am not 100% sure but I think people have had mixed results with freezing. AND I am impatient ..... 20 mins in the oven is much quicker.

 

[cluckcluckluke]

Hi everyone, New to meallies.

Just a few questions.

How can I stop my mealworms from turning back into Beatles once they are worms?
Last cycle they hatched, started growing up and the next thing I knew they were all turning back into pupae.
Can I keep them on just worms for a while so that I actually have time to feed them to my hens.
They are currently in beetle form now, I have heaps.

Also if I have a bunch of beetles now, how can I stagger them. I want one container being worms while the other is beetles.

They are all currently around the same time of changing.

Thanks in advance CluckCluckLuke.

 

[Mavrk]

Put it in the freezer for a day or two. If you heat it, you may lose some of the nutritional value from what I understand. Whereas freezing will kill off any potential problems without affecting nutrition.

The nutritional value lost by heating is minimal (well, maybe if you did 2 hours). Freezing gives mixed results and can take a week or two to be affective (if at all). Easy enough to pop them in a low oven for a little bit and call it a day.

 

[Mavrk]

Hi everyone, New to meallies.

Just a few questions.

How can I stop my mealworms from turning back into Beatles once they are worms?
Last cycle they hatched, started growing up and the next thing I knew they were all turning back into pupae.
Can I keep them on just worms for a while so that I actually have time to feed them to my hens.
They are currently in beetle form now, I have heaps.

Also if I have a bunch of beetles now, how can I stagger them. I want one container being worms while the other is beetles.

They are all currently around the same time of changing.

Thanks in advance CluckCluckLuke.

The beetles will start laying eggs every day. This will naturally start to stagger the age of the mealworms. If you want to keep them all at different stages, get a bunch of containers and put some wheat bran in each. Then every couple weeks (or whatever) move the beetles into a new container. Then you will know the age of the worms in each bin.

Also, if you want to slow the growth, you can put ones you plan on feeding to the birds in the refrigerator. They don't always do so great once they come out of the refrigerator which is why I say to just put feeders in there. Also, if you have them in a cool room, they will grow a lot slower. So maybe some are in warmer rooms to cycle faster while other are in cooler ones.

You can mix and match any of these strategies. But like I said, they will naturally end up staggered in age once the 2nd and 3rd generation get going even if you do nothing. Patience is the key.

edit: I just noticed that you said they hatched then became beetles fast. I missed that part. So just save some in the refrigerator for feeding out is what you should probably do.

 

[cluckcluckluke]

The beetles will start laying eggs every day. This will naturally start to stagger the age of the mealworms. If you want to keep them all at different stages, get a bunch of containers and put some wheat bran in each. Then every couple weeks (or whatever) move the beetles into a new container. Then you will know the age of the worms in each bin.

Also, if you want to slow the growth, you can put ones you plan on feeding to the birds in the refrigerator. They don't always do so great once they come out of the refrigerator which is why I say to just put feeders in there. Also, if you have them in a cool room, they will grow a lot slower. So maybe some are in warmer rooms to cycle faster while other are in cooler ones.

You can mix and match any of these strategies. But like I said, they will naturally end up staggered in age once the 2nd and 3rd generation get going even if you do nothing. Patience is the key.

edit: I just noticed that you said they hatched then became beetles fast. I missed that part. So just save some in the refrigerator for feeding out is what you should probably do.

I have been waiting half a year.lol.

When I got them they didn't work so I kind of forgot about them, then about 3 weeks later i rememeberd about them and found the container was filled, now i have 2 full containers of beetles, going to have to find a 3rd now.

So I just get a container and put a heap in the fridge.

"They don't always do so great once they come out of the refrigerator which is why I say to just put feeders in there." What's the problem with them when they come out of the fridge? Also waht do you mean by "just put the feeders in there". In where? what feeders?

lol. Sorry for being such a novice. I really want to get the worms going, like HEAPS before Winter. It is early Autumn now.