Questions about raising Meal Worms

[gmendoza]

I am the one who has paper towels for moisture and never had a mite problem. Also I am the one who feeds my mealworms layer crumbles without a problem.I am the guy who does tend to separate my pupae,but just some and just for observational purposes.

Also I do occasionally slice up potato for them.

Good job vmdanielsen. Happy raisings!!

The three drawer shelf you bought works wonders! No infestations at all,no escapees as well. When your mealworms pupate and turn into darkling beatles,you might not see the eggs.Its because they move the bedding around and lay them on the plastic.You will see batches of white eggs all over it.

Myself,I like to grow them in stages: eggs in one tray,worms in one,pupae in one and beatles in one.

Any dead or deformed beatles get jettisoned to the chickens along with their daily ration of worms.

 

[featherbaby]

Quote:
Have you seen the youtube video that shows the mealworms raised in a 2 drawer system? The top drawer has screen in the bottom and supposedly the small worms drop through to the second drawer without having to be sorted by hand. Would this work? I haven't set mine up yet, but need to do it soon.

The second method I hear about is just throwing them all in one huge tote and harvesting worms as they are available. What do you think about that, pro and con?

 

[gmendoza]

Quote:
Have you seen the youtube video that shows the mealworms raised in a 2 drawer system? The top drawer has screen in the bottom and supposedly the small worms drop through to the second drawer without having to be sorted by hand. Would this work? I haven't set mine up yet, but need to do it soon.

The second method I hear about is just throwing them all in one huge tote and harvesting worms as they are available. What do you think about that, pro and con?

Sounds good.I might make a hillbilly version of it.Just wondering where the eggs get layed at. Maybe 1/2 screen,like in the middle so some small passers-by get screened into the lower tray.Hmm ideas!

I have a 7 gallon bucket I use for my redwoyms that they are outgrowing.I need to sift them.Growing mealworms in a huge tote,never tried it.

 

[vmdanielsen]

Quote:
Thank you! I thought for now that I would just sit back and observe. I did notice the the paper towel was dry over night and when I replenished it , the meal worms were congregated under it, with some on top. Maybe they were just thirsty from being in storage. I also put all 1000 in 1 drawer with fresh bran. I will keep an eye on it. Thanks folks for the great suggestions!!
Ginny

 

[vmdanielsen]

OK, just check my worms for the fun of it. Many have gotten out of their outer shells (skin?) lots of dried up skin on the top layer....like snake skin, only lots smaller. Is it possible that I got a bunch that were just waiting for a little fresh food ,warmth, and a little drink to pupate? Does it aways happen this fast? Remember, I just put them in fresh bran and watered them last night. I did get them out of the fridge at PETCO.I did keep the paper towel on it because right after I wet it I waited a few minutes and they were clamping on to it, so I figured they were still thirsty. Besides it dried in an hour. I did however, tear it in half, so half the bran is uncovered.
Comments?

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

They will be quite thirsty when you first get them. They likely haven't had access to moisture for some time to avoid problems. What you are doing with the wet towels is fine, what you want to avoid is chronic moisture or wetness in the substrate. You certainly could be seeing some pupating, but probably most of what you are seeing are the exoskeletons from the worms molting. After hatching the worms have to shed their outer "skin" between 9 and 20 times (depending on environmental conditions) before they pupate. After a while you should see a layer of the shed exoskeletons all over the surface. The pupae look like weird aliens, taking a form somewhere between a worm and a beetle.

 

[Boo-Boo's Mama]

Found website that had this chart with # of days for each stage and # of molts they go through. I have lots of small exoskeletons in my first colony/aquarium with the frass where I'm letting the tiny mealworms grow enough so I can shift them out and place with the older worms. Hopefully all of the eggs have hatched.

Mealworm Life Cycle

Stage How long? Food Moisture Other info
Egg 7–14 days
Larva 30–90 days Bran Apple 5 molts occur
Pupa 10–20 days
Adult 5–10 days Bran Apple Death: 30 days
Egg The cycle continues.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Boo-Boo's Mama :

Found website that had this chart with # of days for each stage and # of molts they go through. I have lots of small skeltons in my first colony/aquarium with the frass where I'm letting the tiny mealworms grow enough so I can shift them out and place with the older worms. Hopefully all of the eggs have hatched.

Mealworm Life Cycle

Stage How long? Food Moisture Other info
Egg 7–14 days
Larva 30–90 days Bran Apple 5 molts occur
Pupa 10–20 days
Adult 5–10 days Bran Apple Death: 30 days
Egg The cycle continues.

Nice web-site! Although someone should correct them on the number of instars in the larval stage, given that it's supposed to be a resource for teachers. Here's a recent article on development: http://ddr.nal.usda.gov/dspace/bitstream/10113/43316/1/IND44389402.pdf​

 

[Boo-Boo's Mama]

I wondered about the the number of instars in the larval stage listed considering how tiny the larvae are at hatching. I think I will put the pupae in their own container to keep anything from disturbing them.

I was looking tonight and was amazed at how much frass is in the colony box started last week. Am thinking I will use Purina Flock Raiser when I start the next colony or add to current box. I feed it to my chickens so I have it on hand at all times and it has 20% protein. Today I added oatmeal to one corner and I sifted some oyster shell and added the dust to the box.

 

[gmendoza]

Good job.
Like Gallo said there is really no reason to separate hem.I did just for worm management and control.
For now I am keeping my pupae with the mealworms,but when a beatle emerges,they are going in the beatle tray,to propagate,then die,then be jettisoned to the chicken reapers!