mealworm havesting / picture added...

dfcauley · Post by **dfcauley** » Thu Jul 02, 2009 11:13 am

mike wrote:
Try leaving your contain open so that air can get in. Dry bugs are happy bugs.

But be careful with that..... I think that is how something invaded mine.

I got my sponge at Wal-Mart. Carrots are a great thing to add. My potatoes usually dried up like MIke said.

L in Ontario · Post by **L in Ontario** » Thu Jul 02, 2009 11:37 am

Do you only give them potatoe skins as compared to 1/2 a whole potatoe?

I'll try to keep a close eye on it Donna and I'll leave the lid off more.

mike · Post by **mike** » Thu Jul 02, 2009 11:47 am

The half potato is fine. In fact, I just put a few slits across the potato and the mealworms find them and burrow into the potato.

L in Ontario · Post by **L in Ontario** » Thu Jul 02, 2009 12:29 pm

Okay so 1/2 potatoe with slits across it. On top of a few pieces of newspaper? Slit side down?

Sorry to be so dense about this.

dfcauley · Post by **dfcauley** » Thu Jul 02, 2009 12:46 pm

It just so happened that UPS delivered me 5,000 more mini mealworms today. Not to be beaten by this thing, I took about 200 of them and started again. I am giving it one more try. Liz..... you have inspired me.

mike · Post by **mike** » Thu Jul 02, 2009 1:14 pm

No just a whole potato with slits all over it; tossed in the bug bin; forgotten.

L in Ontario · Post by **L in Ontario** » Thu Jul 02, 2009 1:36 pm

Yay Donna! We can do this!

Thanks Mike - one whole potatoe (with skin) with slits all over

going into the 'bin' later today and removing the newspaper (I hope that's right!). Have to go buy some spuds and apples. Jeepers might as well get myself a beer too!

dfcauley · Post by **dfcauley** » Thu Jul 02, 2009 1:55 pm

Why are you removing the newspaper?

L in Ontario · Post by **L in Ontario** » Thu Jul 02, 2009 2:03 pm

I've no idea!! Does the potatoes have to go on top of the newspaper?? Will the worms crawl on top of the newspaper to get to the potatoe?

When I cut a potatoe in half and laid both halves on top of the newspaper (cut side face down), the worms made a hole through the newspaper and into the potatoe (before it got moldy).

lovemyfinch · Post by **lovemyfinch** » Thu Jul 02, 2009 3:20 pm

L in Ontario wrote:Yay Donna! We can do this!

Thanks Mike - one whole potatoe (with skin) with slits all over going into the 'bin' later today and removing the newspaper (I hope that's right!). Have to go buy some spuds and apples. Jeepers might as well get myself a beer too!

Not a bad idea Liz - I meant the beer

I'm keeping my eye on you and Donna, cause I think that I am going to try it next week. Yep, after saying that the beer sounds even better. Shaftails must have known the eggs were about to hatch they ate about 50 in 6 hours this morning.

L in Ontario · Post by **L in Ontario** » Thu Jul 02, 2009 3:32 pm

Yay Janine!! Join us in this mealworm managerie!!

Are you saying you have Shafttail babies?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!!?!??!?!?! (running to check all other posts now)

dfcauley · Post by **dfcauley** » Thu Jul 02, 2009 4:34 pm

Janine, when my shaftails had babies they would not eat mealworms......

Liz, I don't know the purpose of the newspaper, but my beetles stayed UNDER the newspaper and ate these holes in it.

I had just heard to put newspaper on top. We must be crazy.....

L in Ontario · Post by **L in Ontario** » Thu Jul 02, 2009 4:36 pm

Okay, me too - having heard about putting newspaper on top of the mealies and the potatoes or carrots or apple on top of the newspaper.

CandoAviary · Post by **CandoAviary** » Thu Jul 02, 2009 11:59 pm

Hey Liz,
use a cellulose sponge without microcleaners. Sea sponges, loofa sponges work great too. I order giant ones from Boat greenstuff and cut them into smaller sections. Just make sure you buy ones without mold inhibitors added...read the lable.
I put down a piece of cardboard about 8" long and 2 " across. I lay the sponge 3/4 of the way on the cardboard with a little of the sponge hanging off. The worms-beetles will come have a drink. Just wet and squeeze out when you water the birds. I have been recycling the vitamin water from the birds drinker once a week. I wet the sponge with this vitamin water so....my thinking is I will have super vita mealy worms

Since I don't offer the potato or apple I mix into the bran (I use crushed Bran flakes cereal..also has been fortified with vitamins and can buy at the grocery store) but I mix in some zupreem pellets and rowdy bush pellets. It gives them more to munch on and the beetles seem to eat these instead of the eggs or worms. Happy, worm farming

mickp · Post by **mickp** » Fri Jul 03, 2009 4:25 am

hessian works well instead of paper