Mealworm farming

[Zephie]

For some reason, I can't seem to find any wheat bran around here. Can I just use some wheat cereal, like Kellogg's All Bran? Is there any other "bedding" I can use?

 

[Hypertay]

For some reason, I can't seem to find any wheat bran around here. Can I just use some wheat cereal, like Kellogg's All Bran? Is there any other "bedding" I can use?

When I got my first 100 worms from the pet store, Kellogg's All Bran was what I used for bedding. I pulverized it in my blender, ending up with fine ground, medium, and just crunched up. I added chick starter and apple slices and away they went! I wanted to make a larger colony and couldnt find wheat bran in this area so I ordered it off amazon.com for way too much money. (I got Bob's Red Mill in 4 packs, and I am just now at the last bag, I won't need more for about 2 months, but I also added 1000 more mealworms.) Cost was around $25 for 8 20oz bags. I think it is ok to use the cereal in the short run, but the small amount of sugar may cause a mold problem after a while.

 

[EddieJ]

Well... I don't know if I'm crazy or obsessed but I just read 194 pages of this thread before I just said, "Go to the end and post!!"

I just purchased 10,000 mealworms and am ready to go. It's going to be a project for my daughters and I. Going to market them for extra cash for family vacations and to buy the frivolous stuff they want from me.....they think I have the "ole money tree" in the back yard.

Anyways, I'm sure I'm going to have a thousand and one questions and this seems the place to be for good info.

Thanks and looking forward to participating
Eddie

......only 370+ pages to go.......

Oh yeah... I forgot. I need to know for next time where y'all are getting wheat bran for $6. I paid $16 for a 50lb bag today. Guess that'll be enough for a while though... lol

 

[UrbanMamaHen]

I am not sure who is getting 50 lbs of wheat bran for $6. I am paying $1 per pound so $16 for 50 lbs is an awesome deal to me.

 

[UrbanMamaHen]

Now that I have had beetles for a couple weeks, how much longer before I can expect to see baby mealworms? I don't try to look for the eggs as I figured they are too small for me to see. I am beginning to see dead beetles too. I thought they live for a few months. What would be some reasons for bettles to die early?

 

[wildriverswolf90]

Okay I have read through the three pages linked on the first post, but didn't read through this whole thread, so sorry in advance if my questions have already been asked
do I need to have a bin for all the separate stages? Or could I have just one colony in a 20 Gallon aquarium and be okay?
if iI put them in the aquarium could I keep them in the barn? The back part of my barn is shaded and is about 10 Degrees cooler and out of the wind. I can put two screened lids on it to help keep bugs out.
How do I clean the cage? Collect the frass?

 

[Dipstick]

Thanks! We think there is a lot missing in the information available, and there are so many variables it's mind boggling. At this point we are at the thinking about it stage, with me thinking about fresh fish and vegetables to eat, and my husband thinking about raising for stocking ponds for area landowners and growing the fish food. Not to mention convincing the rest of the family that lives on this property that it could be fun and profitable and delicious!

I will respond to this in a PM as I do not want to muddy this thread with other topics.

On a different note, my meal worms have stabilized and are no longer dying off. I think it was as someone else said, that they came diseased already and nature was just taking its course. Mold is a sneaky little monster that stalks you at every turn in this business... but I am becoming wise to it. By this time next year I expect to be at well over a million worms in production and growing. I have reconsidered and have increased my goal to between 10-25 million on hand at any point in time.

I am up to a 50-100 new pupae and about the same for beetles per day production, and have learned how to control the rate at which they pupate. I can force it or limit it at will now, or so it appears.

 

[EddieJ]

Well...my 10,000 mealworms arrived in good condition today. I'm going with the 3 drawer system....just need some screen for the top. Right now, they're all different sizes....range from 1/2" to 1".

A couple questions for the pros:

The pupa...do they tend to sit on the top? I imagine they're probably all through the substrate?

Is the majority of people putting the pupa in their own little bowl/area until they turn to worms or just letting them turn in the bin then scooping them up to go into the top?

And how many can I put in one drawer? The drawers I have are roughly 22" x 13" and about 7" deep.

Thanks and Im looking forward to all the fun.... we all are.....

Eddie

 

[Dipstick]

Well...my 10,000 mealworms arrived in good condition today. I'm going with the 3 drawer system....just need some screen for the top. Right now, they're all different sizes....range from 1/2" to 1".

A couple questions for the pros:

The pupa...do they tend to sit on the top? I imagine they're probably all through the substrate?

Is the majority of people putting the pupa in their own little bowl/area until they turn to worms or just letting them turn in the bin then scooping them up to go into the top?

And how many can I put in one drawer? The drawers I have are roughly 22" x 13" and about 7" deep.

Thanks and Im looking forward to all the fun.... we all are.....

Eddie

Hi Eddie,

Can't speak for most of your questions, but in my setup the wormies like to pupate in the top 1/4" of bedding. I think that the pupate on top and then get dropped lower as worms move around around them.

And just for your info, the pupae do not become worms, they become beetles.

 

[EddieJ]

.......And just for your info, the pupae do not become worms, they become beetles.

Woops..... I knew that....got a little ahead of myself there.

Thanks for the info Dipstick

Eddie