Raising Mealworms: What is too hot? + watering

[Rhawn]

Heat: I've got an aquarium full of mealworms going out in my shed. While there is no direct sunlight, its very, very hot in there these days. I would guess 100+ in the shed for many days. We have had quite the hot summer in Virginia. Is there such a thing as too hot for mealworms?

Watering: I have my mealworms in an aquarium like I said, and I add in dry veggie matter when possible. Do they need a source of water at all? I read something about putting in wet paper towels, and on the other hand I read to keep them dry. Moisture and the resulting mold would kill the colony.

Replies and feedback are appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

My colony does fine on my covered back patio, even with extended periods of days at 115+. I've found that they start having problems at temperatures >125, with the beetles suffering mortality first and then larvae. The trick to surviving and thriving at high temperatures is having consistent access to vegetable matter and therefore, moisture. As temperature increases, they increase the risk of desiccation. However, I wouldn't add any moisture beyond that contained in the vegetables. I know that sounds contradictory, but the presence of free water just creates conditions for too many types of problems. I live in one of the driest places on the planet, where our humidity is usually measured in single digits and I've never added water.

 

[Rhawn]

Solid response, thank a lot. It's hot in there, but not above 110.