Mealworm farming

[WestKnollAmy]

Quote:
I did that, too for a while but they kept getting down on my floor, seemed to try to be heading for the light at the sliding glass door. I tried a water moat, I tried Vaseline around the tub, I tried several things but got disgusted and though I do not have a very clean house, I did not want those little bugs wandering around my den. They got into another bin because I could not control them in the one so I had to dump.

Good luck to you. Sounds like a good plan!

 

[Kassaundra]

gallio said something many pages back about how the mites are drawn to the light, and at least one other mealy farmer said she raises her mealies in dirt substrate and they are doing well, she had been doing it for six months or more that way. So here's my thought get rid of the substrate (food for the mites) entirely, keep feeding the mealies the veggies, put the mealies in the dark, but have a strong light nearby (very near) and put grain by the light, replacing the "bait" grain often and destroying the mites with it. You may lose a ton of baby mealies, but may be able to save the bulk of your colonies. I have never tried this, but this is my plan if I ever get infested. Once your mite problem is fixed you can reintroduce "treated" substrate.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

I had thought about using some form of dirt as substrate for my mealies but then reading the way they live naturally in wheat I figured they may be healthier to stay in wheat bran or oats. I may do it as an experiment later on when sales slow down and I can afford to work with it and record it all. Right now mine are thriving in the wheat bran. Well, not the ones from ExoticNutrition so much, though the beetles that are living are happy. Unfortunately, most of the beetles are dead in that bin and I have a fair amount of beetles dead in the mixed bin, while my other 2 with beetles are doing very well. It is quite interesting.

Can anyone give me insight on why the ones from ExoticNutrition would not be thriving? Have I asked this before?

 

[OwensMom]

WestKnollAmy, I am so surprised and a little disappointed that the Exoticnutrition worms/beeltle are not doing well. Mine are going gang busters. They were the most robust when I first got them. They are all mixed up together now so I cannot tell one from the other but my colony seems to be doing well.
Gen 2 has tons of babies and gen 3 is beginning with beetles now.
Are there any symptoms of the dieoff?

 

[hannakat]

Once the wee wormies are big enough to transfer, all should be good. Please keep us up-to-date on the progress and what you're doing. It's definitely an education for all of us, so please share!!

Wishing you mite-free bins!!

 

[hannakat]

Forgot to share....since our house temps are rarely above 71 degrees and my colony is developing slowly compared to those whose house temps are in the upper 70s, I have put the Cool Whip container of wee wormies in my oven with the light left on. It's several degrees warmer than the house. Don't mind the light being on 24/7 and since I'm the only one who uses the oven, they are safe (I'm considering putting a warning label on the oven knob just in case heheheee)

I've thought about putting my whole 3-drawer colony in the oven also.....if I take the shelves out, it'll fit.... dumb idea? Since I have the light on anyway for the wee wormies from my original beetles, might as well!!!

The goal is to have a generation of wormies big enough by January and February to feed to the chickadees. I should be out of frozen mealies by then and it would be nice to have fresh to feed.

Wish me luck!

 

[Kassaundra]

I am working on a container plan if it works I'll take pics and describe for everyone.

 

[hannakat]

Did you see my new setup on my mealworm page?

 

[Kassaundra]

Quote:
I don't think so, I'll go give it a look.

Yes, I had seen it. When I first started I had thought about that idea, the larva in a small bin inside the big bin, but I'm just going to have several one bin set ups.

I thought it looked easier then the 3 bin set up, less time consuming.

My new idea may help those who don't keep their homes as warm, b/c our house isn't kept in the high 70's in winter, but I wasn't wanting my colony (soon to be colonies) to slow down.

 

[hannakat]

You mean the oven isn't an option