Starting to raise my own mealworms - any tips?

[DianeS]

I've read the threads about how to raise mealworms, so I have my basic setup correct. (Or as "correct" as one can be when there are differing opinions on what's best!)

What I'm asking for now is any "tips" that anyone has for making this go easier. Or simpler. Or faster. Or cleaner. That sort of thing!

The mealworms are in a clear plastic bin, with airholes in the lid. They have a couple inches of oatmeal oats for food/bedding. A few layers of paper from brown paper bags on top. Half a potato for humidity. And they're tucked into a warm corner of the kitchen.

Anything you've learned from your own mealworm experiements would be appreciated!

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Personally, I'd skip the paper bags. It's quite dry where I live and I don't do it (often single digit humidity). You run the risk of increasing the humidity level which will promote all sorts of other things to grow (mold, mites, etc.). The drier you keep your colony, the better they will grow. I'd use wheat bran instead of oatmeal. You also might need to add more vegetable matter. They're mostly eating the vegetable matter you add, rather than the substrate (in your case, oatmeal). Here's a page I made with some brief and simple descriptions of what I do to raise mealworms: https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=56638-how-to-raise-mealworms Good luck! You chickens are going to love your home grown mealworms.

ETA: the warmer you keep them, the faster they will grow. They really like it as hot as 100 F.