Mealworm farming

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I was observing my little farm yesterday and I noticed I had approx. 6 dead mealworms in there. There were no dead ones to begin with. Six out of 2000 is nothing to worry about at this point, is it? I also noticed that a lot of them looked like they were twice as big as they were when I got them. They have obviously grown, and I could see a lot of little skins they had shed. I got to watch one shimmy out of his skin.

Should I be concerned about the dead ones? I think I do get some temperature variations where they are near that heat register in the bathroom.
 
I wouldn't worry too much; six out of a couple thousand isn't a huge mortality rate. Are you sure they were dead? Right before they molt or pupate they look as if they are dead--no movement at all. Perhaps they were just preparing to molt? Were they black? Not all dead mealworms turn black, but they often will. Keep an eye on your colony over the next couple days and if you see more you might have to change something. Meanwhile, you can put the ones that you think are dead into a small cup with some substrate and check them later to see if they become active again.
 
Thanks. Yes, several were dead. However, like you said, a couple of the dark ones I picked up I could tell were actually still alive. I will keep my eye on them. The only thing I really worry about it the temperature variation, but I guess they have to put up with that in nature, too.
 
If it's any consolation, it would have to be a huge temperature swing to cause mortality in these guys. The thing to watch out for is high temperatures combined with high humidity/moisture. Those conditions are often the precursors to disaster.
 
Kassaundra said:
Mine love both earthworms and small snakes too.  They think my shovel is "The Great Worm Finder God" and I'm his Highpriestess!  Do you know how difficult it is to dig a hole w/ 10 eager chickens sticking heads, feet and anything else they can get in to get the best first chance at whatever shows up in the hole?



The only caviot to this is that appearently some earthworms carry the parasite that gives chickens gape worm.  A worm that attatches itself to their trachea and can greatly interfere w/ their breathing.  I do not actively feed them earthworms, but there is no way to keep them from getting them, themselves.
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LOL yes, I do! Mine see me pick up the shovel and come running. It amuses me but it does make it hard to do a "quick" job with the shovel.
 
Two years ago we had a barn blow down in a big windstorm. We had boards and blocks laying everywhere. Some of the debris was there for a year while we built the new barn. As I was out there cleaning up, I would pick up boards and there would be worms, beetles of all sorts, rolly polly bugs, centipedes AND a few small snakes under the debris. The chickens got the idea that every time I picked something up they could find a prize. They were under my feet, on top of whatever I was trying to move and just generally in the way, but it was such fun to watch them all. It got to be a game, and I would make sure I had a couple of them watching when I would get ready to move stuff so the bugs and worms wouldn't get away before they got them.

They did get their fill!

Gallo Del Cielo Thanks for the info. At least for now I don't need to worry about high humidity, and the temp swings in that bathroom are not that bad. It does stay warm. I guess I just didn't want them to get too warm because the air comes out of that register at about 120 degrees. I think I will just move the tote a little farther from the register. Then I know I won't worry about that.
 
Gallo del Cielo said:
If it's any consolation, it would have to be a huge temperature swing to cause mortality in these guys. The thing to watch out for is high temperatures combined with high humidity/moisture. Those conditions are often the precursors to disaster.
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What is considered a high temp with high humidity? I have my meal worms in a bedroom that I have set up for growing orchids in. In the winter, the day temps are in the low 70's, night temps go down to 60, but the summer is my concern. I run window A/C unit to keep the room cool during the summer do to the heat put off by my T5 grow lights. I try to keep the day temps in the low to mid 80's and nights are around 65 to low 70's. Will temps in the 80's be to hot to use with high humidity such as 70% humidity? I keep the humidity up for the orchids, I could move the meal worms to a different location during the summer if needed. I have seen several dead meal worms (black) but it isn't much of a bother, but if my growing conditions are causing it and I can change it then I will!
 

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