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I love it when the substrate moves. I've also noticed that it's warm....
Why did you take the beetles out after only 1 month? They lay eggs faithfully for over 3 months. After 4 months I wasn't finding many eggs so at 5 months I fed them to the chickadees and froze some. I used a tray under my top, screened drawer so I was able to monitor the egg laying.
My plan now is to give the beetles 3 to 3-1/2 months of production and then ****chop**** off with their heads!
Happy chickadees
Oh silly me. I shouldn't expect you to know my 'system'. I took them out and put them in another bin I didn't throw them out. ( I just used them to seed my starter bin for a system I'm working on, seeding done took them out)
Ok here is the shortest I think I can do it.
I am working toward 1 cup of large mealworms a day estimated to be 1000 mealworms. So a 3 month cycle would need 90,000 mealworms, so 600 mealworms laying (1/2 males so 300 mealgirls) laying 200 eggs (up to 600) would be 120,000 mealworms and it take about 3 months to complete a cycle from egg to beetle. So that was just my starter bin, I'll take the first 600 pupa out (since I emptied the beetles there are only worms in the bin) those pupa go into another bin. After I take out 600 for mating everything left is chicken food which should last up to 3 months. As the beetles in the 2nd bin lay eggs and start to die. I take out 600 pupa and put it in a third bin then everything else is food. By the time the 3rd bin starts to pupate the 1st bin would be empty and ready for 600 pupa. I actually calculate this will give me more than the cup a day.
However, looking at my bin right now I'm wondering if it will turn out to be true. Will keep you posted. I'm not seeing 90 cups in that first bin but I have lots of worms that haven't grown up yet.
