Mealworm farming

[SigningChickens]

Woot! I brought home meal worms yesterday and I already had a pupa this evening!

 

[Jmpeters]

Ok I opened my box and got excited cuz I thought I had 2 beetles. But this aint no beetle! Wont be going back to that feed store. Well the picture wont load but its a freaking cockroach. Anyone ever have this happen? What should I do? I dont want anymore roaches popping up in my bin and escaping.

 

[SigningChickens]

Oh no! Gross!!! I live in FL and I certainly don't néed to buy cockroaches. We have plenty that are free. I just saw my hen pull a giant one from the ground and swollow it. **shivers**

 

[Jmpeters]

Lol. These are honestly the first ones ive ever seen. I had to google a pic of it just to be sure. It pisses me off I really thought I had beetles. I just got my worms a week ago so I was shocked, then was shocked again and grossed out.

 

[EddieJ]

Well....its Pupaville in my bottom drawer. This are a hoppin and wigglin!!!! I estimate that within a few days, I'll have a couple hundred beetles. Then it'll be on like Donkey Kong in my top drawer.

I'll post some pics tomorrow. It's fixin to get fun!!!

Eddie

 

[SigningChickens]

If the worms come to the top and start wriggling like crazy, are they shedding skin or pupating?
Lol..I told my 13 y/o son he is puburpating lol.

 

[gaitngirl]

Is there anything I should NOT give my mealworms to eat?
Is lettuce OK

Mine love lettuce. And it doesn't mold or get icky in the bin. Carrots and apples are great, too. I used potatoes for a short while then stopped - they get moldy.

 

[SigningChickens]

I put the lettuce off my subway sandwich in for them and they tore it up within hours. My superworms did too. I think it may be a favorite for them.
I agree with the potato thing. They aren't working out well for us.

 

[gaitngirl]

Well, due to various circumstances, I started out with considerably fewer larva and beetles than what I had planned on having but it all seems to be working out. I bought a couple hundred larva at the local pet store and some from a seller on here and now have tons of pupa. Many have transformed into beetles - about 3 or 4 dozen finally. Several of the pupa were drying out before they had a chance to transform or they were slightly mutated when they finally changed. Whatever was wrong seems to have sorted itself out.
I'm not seeing any micros yet - I started off with a little over a dozen beetles more than 2 or 3 weeks ago so I thought I would see some really small larva by now. The rest of the larva in the container are getting really big. I would love to feed some of them to my chickens but I also really want to get my colony going . . . Hopefully I will have lots to freeze for winter.
While walking through the local Walmart, I saw a great deal on the wide, 3 drawer bins. I almost bought a couple on Craigslist for $10 each that were the standard size but those are only $13 new at the store!!! And the wider version is only $19. All 3 life stages seem to be doing well enough together in the bin they are kept in now. I actually looked at the drawers of my fridge (that died yesterday morning!!!!) and thought 'hmmmmm . . . .', lol. As fascinating as these mealies are, if I convert my old fridge to a mealie factory, my son will probably have me committed

. My mom hasn't been over to visit since she found out I have red wiggler bins in my basement . . . (I haven't told her about the meal worms yet).

 

[gaitngirl]

Lol. These are honestly the first ones ive ever seen. I had to google a pic of it just to be sure. It pisses me off I really thought I had beetles. I just got my worms a week ago so I was shocked, then was shocked again and grossed out.

Did you buy Dubia (sp) roaches by mistake? Maybe they had them mislabeled?