Questions about raising Meal Worms

[gmendoza]

you don't need heat/lamps for mealworms.they are very heat efficient themselves. too much moisture is a very bad thing. they will drown. When I fist started with mealies, I got 500. they grew to 10,000 and not including eggs and beetles. the carcases get jettisoned to the chickens for a quick treat.

other critters I tried to grow:

hissing roaches
redworms
black soldier flies
crickets
praying mantist

other critters I like to try: that are frolicking free around the backyard:

cave crickets
earwigs
house centepedes (shudderbugs)

 

[thand141]

hi my name is tracy hand in upstate NY I ordered 3000 meal worms but they have become lethargic,is this normal? I don't know what stage they are at, I know some have shed their skin at least once, and I separated 3 pupae, I have them in wheat bran mixed with some lay mash. the temp has been mid 60's to 70's here, I just know they were very lively when I got them, and now they are not moving much at all, I have found many black (dead ones) I say many its probably under 100. and they have carrots, and potato slices.
Any help you could provide would be great. thanks

 

[jenneverett]

Its too cold for them. ...approximately 80 degrees is perfect

 

[thand141]

Its too cold for them. ...approximately 80 degrees is perfect

thank you, I am setting up a heat lamp i'll let you know how it works out.

 

[thand141]

Its too cold for them. ...approximately 80 degrees is perfect

Well about 7 hours ago I set up a heat lamp, and got it to 80 degrees on the wall next to the bins, a few minutes ago I started separating pupae from each of the bins. they definitely weren't there this am! thank you so much!!!!

 

[suellen123]

Don't mealy worms turn into beetles? How do you keep them? Do they reproduce? Where do you order that many? Thanks in advance for your response.

 

[jenneverett]

The answer is yes. The worms turn into pupae and from that stage they turn into beetles. The beetles lay eggs and then you have worms again. Now keep in mind that not all of them will mature at the same rate so you will have some in all 3 stages after the first batch.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Don't mealy worms turn into beetles? How do you keep them? Do they reproduce? Where do you order that many? Thanks in advance for your response.

Check out the links in the first post of this thread (and the rest of the thread is pretty informative too) to learn everything you need to get started. Start with at least 1000, which can be found at a variety of places online. If you have questions, ask in that thread, there are lots of people who subscribe to it and you'll usually get quick help.

 

[DownSouthOrps]

Mealworms for sale free shipping pm me

 

[beakerchicks]

My mealworms love bananna peelings. I put a damp paper towel down in the egg section and when i picked it up there were babies on it. They are super tiny but it was so nice to see them after so long of seeing nothing. I haven't given my mealworms the egg cartons but my superworms have it and they love it
I have heard about beatles eating their own eggs so i made their home with two containers. One tall and one shorter. The short one has a mesh screen for the bottom and all the eggs fall through into the bottom container