Why no worms?

[ALW]

I purchased 2000 meal worms and placed them in wheat bran with potatoes, carrots, celery, etc. That was about six months ago. I now have over 500 darkling beetles that have been in the aquarium for about three months - not a single worm has appeared. Suggestions on what I am doing wrong, or can beetles become sterile? Warm environment at 80+ degrees Fahrenheit, plenty of potatoes and other vegetation, darkness or shade all of the time. Humidity is low a this time of year. I solicit opinions. Thanks in advance.

 

[Vickischics]

I purchased 2000 meal worms and placed them in wheat bran with potatoes, carrots, celery, etc. That was about six months ago. I now have over 500 darkling beetles that have been in the aquarium for about three months - not a single worm has appeared. Suggestions on what I am doing wrong, or can beetles become sterile? Warm environment at 80+ degrees Fahrenheit, plenty of potatoes and other vegetation, darkness or shade all of the time. Humidity is low a this time of year. I solicit opinions. Thanks in advance.

Sorry but, I have NO clue.

 

[Teneniel]

They may be eating the eggs?

 

[lolip0pi]

Where did you purchase your mealworms? I'm in the same boat as you. Not a single egg has been laid, and it's been about 6 weeks since our first beetles emerged.

 

[CovidtimeQuail]

I was getting just a few worms from a lot of beetles until I made a fortunate mistake.

I left the beetles in a deep stainless mixing bowl for a week. When I sifted out the frass and bottom junk, there were a few worms. The rest of the sifted frass I kept in a small container covered with screening. After a month, more worms in it. A month after that, still more.

Eggs and baby worms need to be separated from the beetles; the beetles will eat the eggs and worms. I usually sift every 10-14 days or so and start new containers of frass. After several siftings, I'll combine the oldest with the second oldest so that I don't need too many containers.

I don't pick through the frass until at least a month later; it takes a while for the worms to develop from eggs. By then, the worms are big enough to see.

If you don't have problems with grain mites (I do, I live in humid Hawaii), you can probably just put all of the sifted frass together with bran or oatmeal and a few pieces of vegetables like carrots.

Also, be patient. It takes a while before you'll have a steady supply.

 

[ALW]

I concur with Covidtime Quail, it took longer than I thought it would for a nice supply of worms, and then I had hundreds. I had worms just about until the first snowfall, then they really tapered off. Now that spring has sprung, I expect to start the process again as I have noticed several new worms with the coming warmer weather. Don't give up.

 

[lolip0pi]

Where did you purchase your mealworms? I'm in the same boat as you. Not a single egg has been laid, and it's been about 6 weeks since our first beetles emerged.

 

[Northwest_Wannabe]

Where did you purchase your mealworms? I'm in the same boat as you. Not a single egg has been laid, and it's been about 6 weeks since our first beetles emerged.

I got mine from petsmart. Started with about 20 mealworms, had about 15-ish beetles and I'm on month 10? and I've now got 2 10 gallon tanks set up, one with my old beetles and the other chalk full of worms who I'm letting grow out to replace the old beetles. It can take a LONG time for it to set up... I'm not sure how to set it up to a farming situation, so I could like have mealworms every day for the ladies, but I'm sure thats possible if thats what you want

 

[CovidtimeQuail]

A quick note, giant mealworms are typically sterile if they get to the beetle stage at all. Buy large mealworms if you intend to breed them. @ALW also notes that seasons play a big role. I'm not sure how the beetles can tell in Hawaii, but production does start up again in the spring. Winter production is slow.

 

[jonalisa]

I purchased 2000 meal worms and placed them in wheat bran with potatoes, carrots, celery, etc. That was about six months ago. I now have over 500 darkling beetles that have been in the aquarium for about three months - not a single worm has appeared. Suggestions on what I am doing wrong, or can beetles become sterile? Warm environment at 80+ degrees Fahrenheit, plenty of potatoes and other vegetation, darkness or shade all of the time. Humidity is low a this time of year. I solicit opinions. Thanks in advance.

Once you have beetles, you have to separate them into another container, or they will eat the mealworms...and they did.