Mealworm farming

[WestKnollAmy]

With 12 bins and each one having had about 500 beetles in them at some point for a week or more and estimating that at least 250 beetles are girls and laid eggs every day during that time then I am saying I probably have around 50,000 mealies growing up in each of the bins and with that being 12 bins then.........uh.....uhm......er .........I plead mealie math!

 

[zzGypsy]

With 12 bins and each one having had about 500 beetles in them at some point for a week or more and estimating that at least 250 beetles are girls and laid eggs every day during that time then I am saying I probably have around 50,000 mealies growing up in each of the bins and with that being 12 bins then.........uh.....uhm......er .........I plead mealie math!

600,000 mealies!
yay!

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Yeah, I really didn't want to put that number out there. Sounds like too many mouths to feed!

Most of them are small yet as the cold weather and dry air, even inside the house, make for slow maturing. I hate to see what they will all be like in June! I am sure we will have added many more bins as we are working on moving them into the spare room where we keep all the Guinea Pigs.
As the piggies are dying from old age we are not replacing them so we have a few empty shelves just right for placing small mealie bins. Though a south room, as well, we do keep a fan going in there for air circulation because we still have over 40 piggies and a 12x12 room with only one vent does not move enough air for safe breathing. But by April, we should have plenty of new bins up and going and our new system in place.

It was a nice 22 degrees this morning when I got up and my furnace set on 62 is running way more than I like. I may be a bit chilly but I hate to see my power bill. Ugh.

 

[CluckyJay]

What should I feed to make some of my mealies really, REALLY fat? I wanna get some good pictures of super-duper fat mealies. Maybe some organic corn?

 

[CluckyJay]

I turn our furnace on first thing in the morning and get it to about 70 degrees. I shut it down to either 60 or 65 degrees the rest of the day. It has made a HUGE difference in our electricity bill. I have to freeze us during the day because my husband thinks we should live IN the furnace when he gets home from work, LOL.

 

[racuda]

I admit I haven't read all 290 pages of this thread, but I have an easy question.

I started my mealworm in September and now I have worms that range from full adult size, down to microscopic. How can I easily separate out the grown worms?

 

[202roosterlane]

I admit I haven't read all 290 pages of this thread, but I have an easy question.

I started my mealworm in September and now I have worms that range from full adult size, down to microscopic. How can I easily separate out the grown worms?

I know it sounds crazy but I too have them in my house but it stays 72 year round. When I went to add more food the other day I noticed a ton of new tiny babys and a bunch a big ones. I was a amazed because I really thought they would not do anything for me this winter being in the house. I don't put any extra heat source on them. So anywho, I just carefully, by hand place them into the big boy container. I now have 3 bins. It's not much but I am proud. Those guys are pretty tough, don't be to afraid to handle them. IMO.

 

[racuda]

I know it sounds crazy but I too have them in my house but it stays 72 year round. When I went to add more food the other day I noticed a ton of new tiny babys and a bunch a big ones. I was a amazed because I really thought they would not do anything for me this winter being in the house. I don't put any extra heat source on them. So anywho, I just carefully, by hand place them into the big boy container. I now have 3 bins. It's not much but I am proud. Those guys are pretty tough, don't be to afraid to handle them. IMO.

So you're saying just pick them out by hand. I was hoping there was a more exact way to somehow sift out the big ones. Maybe use my fingers spread just a little to make a coarse strainer.

 

[racuda]

I just had a thought. If my wife will let me use her colander that might be perfect.

 

[onafixedincome]

To sift, hit the dollar store. They have strainers, grease splatter stoppers (for sifting frass), colanders....cheap and easy and that way you don't tick off your wife. Or hubby. Or other relations who might not understand the importance of mealie-sorting!