mealworm substrate

[Johnny829]

Hi guys!

So I'm hope to get suggestions of cheap bulk mealworm substrate besides wheat bran. I'm planning to have my own mealworm farm and starting big because I'll be having 35 chickens. And I want to treat them good everyday. I was told wheat bran is the best bedding for mealworms. Unfortunately, I have literally driven to every single feed store near me (South Bend, IN), Rural King, Tractor Supply Co., whole food store, and grocery stores which I guess they may have in bulk and cheap. And none of them have what I want. I'm looking for a few 50 lb bags because again, I will be needing a lot of mealworms everyday.

Then I started online searching, they do have $15 for a 50 lb bag but the shipping fee would be $50. So I don't know what I can do at this moment. I live in South Bend, IN and I believe I have searched all possible stores near me that may sell them in bulk and cheap. But I got nothing. So please let me know you happen to know anywhere that sell them cheap near me or give me some suggestions of mealworm substrate besides wheat bran and I can easily buy in bulk and cheap near me. Thank you!!

 

[azygous]

One form of feed most feed stores carry is mill run. This is a very nutritious by product of milling whole wheat to make couscous, and it costs about $10 for a 50 lb sack. I use it as a substrate for my meal worms and the result is meal worms that will grow to twice the size of worms on bran.

I was very excited about finding this feed and the amazing size the worms attain. However, I discovered one big drawback. The larvae never pupate. So what I do it alternate raising some worms on Red Mill wheat bran (found at most grocery stores in the cereal aisle) and some on mill run. I find this a very happy trade-off. Super large, juicy larvae to feed to my flock and normal larvae on bran that have normal life cycles.

I've kept worms on mill run for as long as six months, growing up to one and a half inches long before they run out of reserves and die.

 

[azygous]

On the left are mill run larvae. The ones on the right are raised on wheat bran. These were taken from my growing trays. They don't live in these containers.

 

[Cevans]

Hi guys!

So I'm hope to get suggestions of cheap bulk mealworm substrate besides wheat bran. I'm planning to have my own mealworm farm and starting big because I'll be having 35 chickens. And I want to treat them good everyday. I was told wheat bran is the best bedding for mealworms. Unfortunately, I have literally driven to every single feed store near me (South Bend, IN), Rural King, Tractor Supply Co., whole food store, and grocery stores which I guess they may have in bulk and cheap. And none of them have what I want. I'm looking for a few 50 lb bags because again, I will be needing a lot of mealworms everyday.

Then I started online searching, they do have $15 for a 50 lb bag but the shipping fee would be $50. So I don't know what I can do at this moment. I live in South Bend, IN and I believe I have searched all possible stores near me that may sell them in bulk and cheap. But I got nothing. So please let me know you happen to know anywhere that sell them cheap near me or give me some suggestions of mealworm substrate besides wheat bran and I can easily buy in bulk and cheap near me. Thank you!!

 

[Cevans]

Can you go online and ship to store? Usually that is free. Maybe Evan Walmart online. They have stand alone grocery stores here in Florida.

 

[Johnny829]

Can you go online and ship to store? Usually that is free. Maybe Evan Walmart online. They have stand alone grocery stores here in Florida.

Yeah I tried but it looks like they can’t do it for some reason. Thanks though.

 

[Johnny829]

One form of feed most feed stores carry is mill run. This is a very nutritious by product of milling whole wheat to make couscous, and it costs about $10 for a 50 lb sack. I use it as a substrate for my meal worms and the result is meal worms that will grow to twice the size of worms on bran.

I was very excited about finding this feed and the amazing size the worms attain. However, I discovered one big drawback. The larvae never pupate. So what I do it alternate raising some worms on Red Mill wheat bran (found at most grocery stores in the cereal aisle) and some on mill run. I find this a very happy trade-off. Super large, juicy larvae to feed to my flock and normal larvae on bran that have normal life cycles.

I've kept worms on mill run for as long as six months, growing up to one and a half inches long before they run out of reserves and die.

Thanks.

On the left are mill run larvae. The ones on the right are raised on wheat bran. These were taken from my growing trays. They don't live in these containers. View attachment 1577915

Thanks Azugous. I’ll go to the local feed store to see if they sell mill run. That will be an awesome substrate.

 

[azygous]

Please understand mill run may be a super food for meal worms, but it promotes continual growth, not permitting the larvae to enter the pupa stage, which is absolutely required if you want adult beetles. No beetles, no meal worm eggs, no more meal worms.

I suggest you also find some wheat bran and raise other meal worms on it if you wish to perpetuate your meal worm colony. If you aren't able to locate wheat bran, you can buy rolled oats, which a feed store may sell in big bags, and run it through a food processor so the particles are smaller to sustain the mobility of the larvae.

 

[kyle476]

On the left are mill run larvae. The ones on the right are raised on wheat bran. These were taken from my growing trays. They don't live in these containers. View attachment 1577915

Thats awesome here i thought wheat bran was the best thing up until now lol

 

[N_Phoenix]

On the left are mill run larvae. The ones on the right are raised on wheat bran. These were taken from my growing trays. They don't live in these containers.

I thought I saw some wheat middlings last time I was at TSC and I thought about this post. I have a spare aquarium so I think I'm going to give it a try.

Do you just add the beetles to the mill run and they lay eggs fine?