MEALWORMS - Raising Them the Easy Way

[IonaFarm]

Would love to try raising mealworms. How can I start this out on a smaller scale?

Newbie?? Is the wheat bran you buy in the cereal isle close to the feed store 50# wheat bran? Will it work on a smaller scale or are there too many additives?

My girls love mealworms and would like to give more often, but the $$ is not in the budget. I haven't broke even on them yet.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Quote:
Hi IonaFarm, look at my BYC page for a small scale set-up for mealworms. If you don't start out with 1000+ mealworms mail order, then get four or five smaller containers from your local pet store or Walmart. If you have the container, you should be able to get a colony going for less than $10. It does take longer if you start out with fewer worms, but really not all that much longer. Wheat bran from your local supermarket will be fine (I look for places that sell bulk food). I use only organic products, but we grew them for years before there were organic products. Good luck, it really is worth it.

 

[crazy huhn]

Quote:

Feel free to send me a PM whenever you are ready to buy some. A couple weeks ago I posted on CL that I had some for sale and someone bought 120 K for a fishing tournament. I never expected such a big demand, but I am slowly catching up again....

How do you measure out 120K mealworms?

You can count them one by one

or just weigh them out on a scale.......... I always give generous amounts of extras.....Happy customers and happy pets!!!

 

[chickbird]

Quote:
How do you measure out 120K mealworms?

You can count them one by one

or just weigh them out on a scale.......... I always give generous amounts of extras.....Happy customers and happy pets!!!

i know that it is being done, but is it considered a biohazard to mail mealworms or beetles by the post office. i sent some packages (not mealworms) and was asked if there was anything hazardous in the package. anyone asked the post office about this???????????????

 

[crazy huhn]

Quote:
You can count them one by one

or just weigh them out on a scale.......... I always give generous amounts of extras.....Happy customers and happy pets!!!

i know that it is being done, but is it considered a biohazard to mail mealworms or beetles by the post office. i sent some packages (not mealworms) and was asked if there was anything hazardous in the package. anyone asked the post office about this???????????????

Where is the hazard?

All happy, healthy mealworms, never been refrigerated like the ones you buy in a pet store. Promised that I have all hand raised them, so they will not bite anyone. Have to admit that my chickens LOVE them like nothing else and they are running towards me like dynamit

and I have to watch my hands and fingers when I feed mealworms. But I guess my chickens are a hazard at that point.........

I have sold the 120 K locally on "Craigs List", but have mailed some in the past from the West Coast to Virginia at the East Coast. No questions asked by the post office, the lady just laughed when I volunteered the information about what was in the package.

However, if you can post a link here from the USPS that shipping of mealworms or beetles are considered to be bio hazardous, I would be interested in that information as I am having some excellent mealworms right now.

 

[chickbird]

Quote:
i know that it is being done, but is it considered a biohazard to mail mealworms or beetles by the post office. i sent some packages (not mealworms) and was asked if there was anything hazardous in the package. anyone asked the post office about this???????????????

Where is the hazard?

All happy, healthy mealworms, never been refrigerated like the ones you buy in a pet store. Promised that I have all hand raised them, so they will not bite anyone. Have to admit that my chickens LOVE them like nothing else and they are running towards me like dynamit

and I have to watch my hands and fingers when I feed mealworms. But I guess my chickens are a hazard at that point.........

I have sold the 120 K locally on "Craigs List", but have mailed some in the past from the West Coast to Virginia at the East Coast. No questions asked by the post office, the lady just laughed when I volunteered the information about what was in the package.

However, if you can post a link here from the USPS that shipping of mealworms or beetles are considered to be bio hazardous, I would be interested in that information as I am having some excellent mealworms right now.

my reason for asking, i have some extra beetles that i was going to offer to someone who wanted a start for postage only, but did not want to send them if they are considered biohardous.
from your post you have used postal service and ups for them, is this right?///thanks

 

[crazy huhn]

Quote:
Where is the hazard?

All happy, healthy mealworms, never been refrigerated like the ones you buy in a pet store. Promised that I have all hand raised them, so they will not bite anyone. Have to admit that my chickens LOVE them like nothing else and they are running towards me like dynamit

and I have to watch my hands and fingers when I feed mealworms. But I guess my chickens are a hazard at that point.........

I have sold the 120 K locally on "Craigs List", but have mailed some in the past from the West Coast to Virginia at the East Coast. No questions asked by the post office, the lady just laughed when I volunteered the information about what was in the package.

However, if you can post a link here from the USPS that shipping of mealworms or beetles are considered to be bio hazardous, I would be interested in that information as I am having some excellent mealworms right now.

my reason for asking, i have some extra beetles that i was going to offer to someone who wanted a start for postage only, but did not want to send them if they are considered biohardous.
from your post you have used postal service and ups for them, is this right?///thanks

No, I only use USPS postal service and the flat rate boxes just work fine with it.

 

[LibertyChick]

I didn't see anyone post about how to store these for the winter. Are you taking the worms and freezing them...freeze dried? Is anyone concerned about GMO in the wheat germ and oatmeal? Would that make your mealworms GMO if you just purchased the cheap stuff at the local feed mart as opposed to using organic ingredients?

Thanks,
LibertyChick

 

[Chicky Chick Mama]

Quote:
I haven't gotten this far, but from what I've read you can just store them in a ziploc bag in the frigde over the winter. (I wouldn't think they'd do well in a hard freeze

) Take them out on occasion (weekly, I believe) and let them warm up to the point they are kind of moving around. Then stick them back in the fridge.

 

[Chicky Chick Mama]

I have my mealworm container in the storage room of our hen house. I check them regularly and 3 times have pulled a roach out from my darklings. Now, I have oodles of tiny roaches in my container. Will that cause any problems for my mealworms. (I am not confusing darkling beetles with roaches, these are itty bitty brown roaches...yuck)