Mealworm stock source ?

[BJ37]

Getting ready to start a mealworm farm. In reading the many excellent articles both here and other places, I am concerned about getting good healthy starter stock. Apparently some sources will treat them in various ways that slows down their growth and development, and sometimes will make them sterile so they will not reproduce, or reproduce properly. --- So how do you know if you are getting good healthy stock? It sounds like several places will treat the larger ones, so if you buy small or medium size are you OK? In reading sources over the net, I do not see where this is addressed one way or the other, so how do you know? Have you a source that you have used, and know that you are getting good healthy stock? What works good for you? TNX

 

[Whittni]

You could just buy stock from a regular breeder and get some of his or her's breeders.

 

[Demosthine]

From my understanding, you definitely have to go with the smaller sizes. My understanding is that the "super worms" will not reproduce at all. Personally, I stuck with the standard mealworms and purchased most of my supply from PetCo. They do transition to beetles very quickly after being removed from the cooler at the store, so expect to have a huge batch of them within about a week. After that, the colony will appear to die off, but it's the egg and smaller larvae cycles. About every four or six weeks, I supplemented the colony with another purchase in an effort to offset the cycle.

PetsMart in my area has never had them and WalMart was more expensive. If you can find a good bait shop in your area, that would be an excellent place to start as well, but there are none in my area. When you are looking at the containers, it's hard to tell what is a healthy colony. I generally just try to find the one with the most worms and a good sampling of frass.

 

[BJ37]

Thanks Demosthine, I saw some at PetCo and there are several different sizes. They also have some setting out at room temp. and some in a cooler. So if I get some small and some of the middle size, out of the cooler, you would expect these to be of healthy stock? How big of ones did you get from them, and still have good results? Do you think they would tell me, or even know, if they had been treated?

 

[BJ37]

So how would be a good way to find out about and order from a breeder? When checking on-line, can you tell if they are breeders or just an outlet or sales connection? Also if the breeders are selling, the same questions would still apply regarding the treatments.

 

[plund]

I buy mine from Uncle Jim's Worm Farm seems to sells everything you need to start breeding. I have bought worms from him twice, 2nd time post office mis-sent & box was damaged, came in a post office use only crate with escaped worms all over but credit that to the post office. He has the best prices I have found. I did think about breeding mealworms but then I found out they have a beetle cycle. Hate beetles. I will have earthworm bins instead, for my garden. Good luck