Mealworm farming

[ralleia]

We received our order of 5,000 mealworms from GrubCo this afternoon. I didn't count them all, but they sure were active. My seven-year-old daughter thoroughly enjoyed helping me transfer them to sterlite trays loaded with wheat bran and dehydrated milk--she actually thinks they're "cute." I asked her to take the ones that were clinging to the bag out to the chickens, and she didn't want them to die. I eventually won her over.

Most of the few mealworms that I picked up from PetSmart the other week have started pupating. I've got three trays on the shaded front porch in the summer heat (highs are ~90, lows are ~65) and one tray in the basement where it is cooler in the hopes of breaking up the production cycle a little.

I like Gallo's implementation of the single-tank no-muss no-fuss colony--how many mealworms does that produce for feeding? I'm trying to supplement feed/reduce some costs for 40 chickens.

 

[angry gary]

okay first off i gotta admit that i did not read all 37 pages. the concept of raising mealworms for me is a win on two fronts. i have not got my first chickens yet but hope to in a couple weeks. my question is, and i hope it hasn't been discussed a hundred times in the pages i did not read, how small are the meal worms when they first fall through the screen? and how long until they get very large. i am asking because i would be feeding them to my chickens but i will divert a small amount to feed to my poison dart frogs. i am always looking for new food sources for them. i have been through termites,cockroaches, bean beetles and flour beetles. the only one that i have ever raised are bean beetles but they are slow growing and not consistent in reproduction. meal worms sounds to good to be true.

AG

 

[hannakat]

Quote:
Welcome. They are not particularly fast to reproduce either. Here is the chart. It actually takes months. Since you seem familiar with raising feeder insects, have you looked into the roaches that are used for feeding chickens and reptiles? From everything I've read, they are easier than mealworms and quicker to reproduce. There is an interesting conversation "Raising feeder insects" started by Kassaundra (at the moment, it's on page 7). I'd love to raise them but my flock is so small....not enough mouths to feed!!

As far as how small... if you go back a page or 2, I photographed a wee worm...."Wilma" that I found in the second drawer. I'm assuming she was originally smaller than that though.




Egg Incubation 4-19 days (usually 4-7). Another source says 20-40 days
Larva 10 weeks. Visible after about a week
Pupa 6-18 (18-24?) days
Beetle and Egg Laying 8-12 weeks (followed by death). Egg laying starts 4-19 days (average 12) after emergence

 

[galanie]

From what I've read, it's mainly the eggs that fall through rather than the hatchlings, but even so, they are almost microscopic when hatched. I tap the top tray whenever I think of it to get more to fall through. It's not necessary, but I do it anyway since I've gotten so many that have grown out in the top tray and never fell through.

 

[hannakat]

Quote:
hahahaa..... and I read that they are sticky (and that the beetles lay them ON a surface such as cardboard or even something in the substrate) and that when they hatch, it's their wiggling that puts them to the bottom where they will hopefully fall through. Geesh...so many options!

I rarely open my second drawer because I don't want babies dropping into the 3rd drawer (not that it would really matter!) and I never open the top drawer without opening the second drawer with it!!

Oh, the single bin is just gonna have to do it's own thing! No hope of knowing WHATS growing in there for quite a while yet. Guess when I see a worm laying on top the substrate, I'll call it a success.

 

[RachaelS]

Okay because of this thread I am now a worm farmer, well at least yesterday I got 3,000 worms

So question when do you throw potatoes out? Came home today and they were black on top so I cut a fresh one but am I wasting the old ones?

 

[WestKnollAmy]

I actually just take my old food out about every day like potatoes and cucumbers but carrots I leave in until they are shriveled up.

Last night I put in papaya, a grape cut in half and mango (guess what we had for supper?) and this morning nothing but flies were on that stuff except for one worm on the papaya skin that had a bit of fruit attached so they are not jungle worms!

I took out any potato or cuke that did not have worms or beetles on them.

Let me tell you all that have not done this, BREAD! My wormies and beetles adore the whole wheat bread I put in the bins. I put in a slice and they are on it like white on rice and it stays covered until the bread is down to nothing. Then I just crumble it up and let it become substrate. It is what they live for, after all.

 

[ralleia]

Quote:
Welcome to the farm! I'm a week-old worm farmer myself--had a few from PetSmart, but my order of 5,000 arrived yesterday.

Question: Can you throw your worms the potato peelings? I know there's not a lot of potato there, but there's a little.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

I think that is fine. They still get moisture from it with a it of potato on there. I threw in that skin from the papaya and a few liked it okay.

 

[simplyscrambled]

Have to report that I have my first beetles! The corn wasn't' too successful with my mealies, and now I'll have to try bread. With the beetles and the worms, I guess!

My concern is that my screen is too fine, so I'll have to see if the eggs fall through. It was left over screen door screen.

Does bread have enough moisture for them? Or do I still have to put in vegies?