Mealworm farming

[azygous]

Definitely you want more surface area, so your worms will not be on top of each other. It is also a lot easier to harvest the worms out of a container that is more shallow. I have the Costco metal shelf units and each shelf has a large sweater box with worms of various stages. They come with little wheels also, size 41 Qt or 34 3/4" x 16.5" x 6" just as an example.
I once also scored a commercial breeder meal worm tub at work which is my overall favorite.

What does a commercial breeder worm tub look like? Can you either describe it or post a photo?

 

[crazy huhn]

It is just like a big plastic concrete mixing pan: 30" x 24" x 3.5"

[QUOTE="azygous, post: 13559673, member: 45606"]What does a commercial breeder worm tub look like? Can you either describe it or post a photo?
[/QUOTE]

 

[kubotafoot]

In reading the posts, I have noticed people all saying to use the sifted material around their plants.......I would STRONGLY suggest using it only on OUTSIDE plants, as if there are microscopic eggs left in the sifting, you'll soon have many meal worms crawling about in your houseplants......Not a good thing.
Also.....As I understand it, surface area is a lot better than thickness. I have one drawer that I have moved beetles only into and the wheat bran is close to 5 inches deep, as I had used the container to transport the new bran for all the worms. I used what I needed for the trays and what was left (almost 5 inches deep) was then used to house the transferred beetles. I have noticed the beetles no not seem to burrow down very far into the bran, but rather stay close to the surface and pile up on each other in certain areas, with or w/out food.
Lastly....All this talk of frass.......wheat bran........oatmeal......
1) I had started out with oatmeal (smaller quick oats) but it has been suggested bran is better for their mouths....
2) I added some bran to a tray, kept all oats in a tray and started a tray with 100% bran.
3) I tried to sift the oat/bran tray and not much fell through and it looked like exoskeleton casting.
4) I tried to sift the bran tray....again some exoskeleton cast off and smaller bran dust.....not much else.
5) Some folks do not sift at all! ??? !!!
6) Can someone include a photo of what sifted out "poops" look like? Everyone talks about frass, but especially in my all bran bin, it all looks like bran to me and everything smells fine and the beetles are happy, so I really wonder just what it is I am supposed to be sifting out. Bottom line.....What does meal worm and beetle manure look like, please? Thanks!

 

[aart]

I wondered what the frass looked like too...finally saw it clearly in a container of larvae that I'm keeping dormant.

It's just very fine particles of 'processed' wheat bran..I use a rather coarse wheat bran as bedding/food.

I too have found sifting anything from anything rather impossible and/or very tedious.

 

[Latestarter]

In reading the posts, I have noticed people all saying to use the sifted material around their plants.......I would STRONGLY suggest using it only on OUTSIDE plants, as if there are microscopic eggs left in the sifting, you'll soon have many meal worms crawling about in your houseplants......Not a good thing.
Also.....As I understand it, surface area is a lot better than thickness. I have one drawer that I have moved beetles only into and the wheat bran is close to 5 inches deep, as I had used the container to transport the new bran for all the worms. I used what I needed for the trays and what was left (almost 5 inches deep) was then used to house the transferred beetles. I have noticed the beetles no not seem to burrow down very far into the bran, but rather stay close to the surface and pile up on each other in certain areas, with or w/out food.
Lastly....All this talk of frass.......wheat bran........oatmeal......
1) I had started out with oatmeal (smaller quick oats) but it has been suggested bran is better for their mouths....
2) I added some bran to a tray, kept all oats in a tray and started a tray with 100% bran.
3) I tried to sift the oat/bran tray and not much fell through and it looked like exoskeleton casting.
4) I tried to sift the bran tray....again some exoskeleton cast off and smaller bran dust.....not much else.
5) Some folks do not sift at all! ??? !!!
6) Can someone include a photo of what sifted out "poops" look like? Everyone talks about frass, but especially in my all bran bin, it all looks like bran to me and everything smells fine and the beetles are happy, so I really wonder just what it is I am supposed to be sifting out. Bottom line.....What does meal worm and beetle manure look like, please? Thanks!

You don't NEED to sift... There are many on here who have been doing this for years, that have never sifted and some are still going in the same containers they started out in. Just need to add more bran/oats/etc. every so often, and make sure they have a source for moisture. No need to make something so simple, more complex...

edited to remove incorrect info.

 

[aart]

No, frass is insect feces (poop), especially larvae (caterpillars, mealworms, etc) feces.

Shed skins of both larvae and pupae are much larger and readily recognizable.

 

[jenneverett]

My newest pics.

each plate has 60 or more under it... just beetles and pupea






these are eggs! ( and just a few frass )

 

[aart]

these are eggs! ( and just a few frass )

Wow I didn't think the eggs were visible to the naked eye?

 

[kendles]

Ken and I went to the Feed Store today and bought a 50 pound bag of Wheat Bran. Came home and loaded my pans with it baked it to remove chances of grain pests and their eggs - don't need outside competition. I was thrilled with the price $14.00 for 50 pounds! awesome! I may be able to get it less elsewhere, but at least I found a good source.

I've found about 15 Pupae so far and anxious for them to turn into Beetles and then get eggs and then hatch - LOL My husband said he thinks the reason I liked messing wit them is that it gives me something to care for. I love my outside wild birds, and if I can provide a good food supplement, it makes me happy.

I am also doing my Beetle and Baby Bin differently. I'm going for surface area verses depth. So now I am adding screen bottoms and ventilation lids.
I know. I'm weird

 

[beverly evans]

I don't know if Amy is still on here, but that is who I got mine from. I realize that is a LOT to go on, at the time the mealworm farming thread was really active. Now I can't remember her full name or her handle. But I know I got mine around Halloween 2011.

There is a Buy Sell Trade forum on here, but there are no posts and I couldn't even figure out how to start one.

Go to "members" and write in "Amy Knoll" to find her and buy your mealies. : )