Mealworm farming

[aart]

Quote: How many times do the adult beetles molt after they emerge from the pupae?
None, the betles do not molt--just lay eggs and die. Only the mealworms molt.
That's what I thought....but this post confused me:

My adults are having difficulty molting properly. Gotta find out how to raise my humidity in there

 

[subhanalah]

None, the betles do not molt--just lay eggs and die.  Only the mealworms molt.

emerging from the pupae

 

[kubotafoot]

I can't figure out what melting is supposed to be.....

 

[aart]

Quote: How many times do the adult beetles molt after they emerge from the pupae?
None, the betles do not molt--just lay eggs and die. Only the mealworms molt.

Quote: LOL.....You were thinking emerging..... typed molting which got autocorrected to melting.

I can't figure out what melting is supposed to be.....

 

[kubotafoot]

Are people using larva and pupa as the same. Let me get this right. I have meal worms.....they evolve into 1/2 crescent-shaped pupa/larva that emerge into beetles and then the beetles lay eggs and die.....
Who molts, the pupa or the meal worms? I have meal worms that are shedding skin like crazy but those 1/2" crescent shaped things are quite still and seem to be doing little or nothing.....

 

[subhanalah]

The larva are the worms, they eat drink and poop. The pupae are still, changing into beetles.

 

[Tumbleweed Farm]

Are people using larva and pupa as the same. Let me get this right. I have meal worms.....they evolve into 1/2 crescent-shaped pupa/larva that emerge into beetles and then the beetles lay eggs and die.....
Who molts, the pupa or the meal worms? I have meal worms that are shedding skin like crazy but those 1/2" crescent shaped things are quite still and seem to be doing little or nothing.....

The mealworms are the one molting--up to 20 times before pupating--you see all the "skins" on top of your substrate. The pupae just lay still until they emerge as beetles, mate, lay eggs, new lil mealworms hatch!

 

[RoseMarie1]

I'm having major thyroid issues and can't even remember what I had for lunch today so I can't remember one from the other right now. Sorry.

I just know mine is litterly crawling in little tiny worms by the hundreds and hundreds. I fed some of them to my baby chicks today and it was quite funny watching them. Loved it. lol


Today though I went in the room I am keeping mine in a large plastic tub and it was sweating on the inside like crazy. It's not in the sunshine and the room is dark as well..... WHY is it doing that? I have a lid on it BUT I drilled holes all in the lid. Wondering if I need to drill more OR if I have too much veggie in there or something? I put 3 small carrots because it's so many worms and the carrots were in the fridge BUT I let them sit on the cabinet for hours on a paper towel to come to room temp and also dried them off. Just don't understand why it's sweating like this. I opened it up and left it open so it wouldn't make the layer feed mold in there so it would dry out. Anyone have any ideas why it's sweating?

 

[sueblack]

...

I'm having major thyroid issues and can't even remember what I had for lunch today so I can't remember one from the other right now. Sorry. 


I just know mine is litterly crawling in little tiny worms by the hundreds and hundreds. I fed some of them to my baby chicks today and it was quite funny watching them. Loved it. lol


Today though I went in the room I am keeping mine in a large plastic tub and it was sweating on the inside like crazy. It's not in the sunshine and the room is dark as well..... WHY is it doing that? I have a lid on it BUT I drilled holes all in the lid. Wondering if I need to drill more OR if I have too much veggie in there or something? I put 3 small carrots because it's so many worms and the carrots were in the fridge BUT I let them sit on the cabinet for hours on a paper towel to come to room temp and also dried them off. Just don't understand why it's sweating like this. I opened it up and left it open so it wouldn't make the layer feed mold in there so it would dry out. Anyone have any ideas why it's sweating?
[/quote

Just guessing you need more ventilation. Either drill more holes or
cut a hole in the top and hot glue window screen over the hole.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

I'm having major thyroid issues and can't even remember what I had for lunch today so I can't remember one from the other right now. Sorry.

I just know mine is litterly crawling in little tiny worms by the hundreds and hundreds. I fed some of them to my baby chicks today and it was quite funny watching them. Loved it. lol


Today though I went in the room I am keeping mine in a large plastic tub and it was sweating on the inside like crazy. It's not in the sunshine and the room is dark as well..... WHY is it doing that? I have a lid on it BUT I drilled holes all in the lid. Wondering if I need to drill more OR if I have too much veggie in there or something? I put 3 small carrots because it's so many worms and the carrots were in the fridge BUT I let them sit on the cabinet for hours on a paper towel to come to room temp and also dried them off. Just don't understand why it's sweating like this. I opened it up and left it open so it wouldn't make the layer feed mold in there so it would dry out. Anyone have any ideas why it's sweating?

You live in a very humid climate, which makes it much more difficult to keep things in the colony dry. I'd remove the lid altogether and only replace it with a screen or wire lid. What's your humidity outside like today?