Mealworm farming

[bobbieschicks]

That was very helpful - thank you!

I found this website yesterday.... just thought I would share if anyone wanted to read on mealworms...... or share with someone new to mealworms.

http://www.godsc.com/care-guides/raising-mealworms/

 

[wattsjadajoe]

Thanks! Just the kind you can get at the coop.... any particular kind at the coop? Is it in the horse section for feed?

I just walked into the feed store and asked. Keep in mind I had already checked every small, large and super store....including WalMart.....everyone I asked thought I was nutz! All I could locate was wheat flour. So when I asked at the feed store the guy just asked "what size"? Simple from there. Wasn't very expensive either. I got a 50lb bag and it has already lasted a year!I have about 1/4 bag remaining, and my bins/drawers are full.

Hope this helps.

Joe

 

[DMRippy]

Quote:

 

[furbabymum]

When I first started about a year ago I was trying to sort but that has gotten to be unrealistic for me. I now have six containers with all stages in them and there is movement constantly in the substrate from so many worms and beetles. I just make sure there is bran in there for them (not all frass) and when the frass gets to be too much then I get as many as I can into a new container with fresh bran. I've read the frass is good for plants.

What is frass?

 

[binders]

Frass is the waste from mealworms.

 

[DMRippy]

I have an assortment of strainers for use depending on what stage the substrate is in at the time of sifting.
We sift out more than 10,000 meal worms a week for shipping out. There are constant changes in our methods as we try to find the best way for us and our happy mealies.
Here are two we use. One we bought at the Flea Market and the other we bought at Walmart.

For times sake..... I just visited Walmart. I picked up 3 strainers. One was an expensive investment BUT it will save me tons of time so that is a good thing. It was a strainer/colander thats handles expands and it has large screen. My hope was it would only hold the pupae and bettles, but it also holds on to BIG worms. The next one I got was smaller mess, kinda like the one in the pic with a wood handle. that will strain out the med and some small worms. The big one will make quick work of sifting the bedding ans junk out and even the smaller one is quick.

Thanks..... I don't know why I didn't think of those.

I have wheat bran coming FRIDAY.... NONE of the Coops around me have any.... 2 Counties away......

So I am getting 2 bags.

 

[DMRippy]

Ok, one more question..... how long to you mircrowave the gains? I skipped that info as I was using spent grains (cooked already) and didn't need to heat them.

I don't have an oven at the farm..... only a microwave.

 

[bobbieschicks]

I used flour in the start...the mealies didn't seem to care for it and when it came time to separate them from the substrate it was near impossible!! I now stay away from the flour!
Oatmeal was a hit, but it was also hard to separate.


Joe

Yeah I'm not really loving this flour and it doesn't seem to be a big hit with the mealys either - so I'll get some wheat bran and replace it.

 

[AliciaM]

For some reason I must be doing something wrong... Ive had my meal worm bins set up since the end of January..First the worms.. then eventualy they all turned into beetles...Ive seen the beetles breeding.. But no worms yet...Granted, where the worms were set up wasnt the warmest in the house, but they were active, not hibernating or anything... The last 2 months theyve been in my living room where it gets fairly warm.. I live in western washington state where if it gets to 60 degrees outside right now, were all excited..

Ive never cleaned out any dead worms or beetles in the bins, so I dont know if any of the dead worms I see in there are old ones or recent ones..I sift thru the bedding and dont see any worms...

Did I do something wrong????

Ive heard of someone putting their bin into an incubator for the heat.. I have an empty cabinet incubator that I may do that with.. Should I start with fresh mealworms or the existing beetles Ive got now??

What temperature should it be?? For hatching eggs its set at 99.5..

Im gonna go sift thru pages for my answers, but if anyone wants to chime in to help save my sanity that would be great....

 

[frostbite]

I think you just have to be patient. I waited for many weeks after I first had beetles, and was despairing of ever seeing any worms. But it takes a while for the eggs to hatch, and then the worms are so tiny you can't see them for a while. I didn't see any worms till they were about 1/4 inch long. But now I have worms. Took a LOT longer than I expected.