raising mealworms-update 6/1

dfcauley · Post by **dfcauley** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 4:21 pm

okay.... I am about read to bite the bullet and try to raise my own mealworms. The cost is getting a bit too much.

Never mind trying to find them.

If someone does this I would like to know how and the easiest way.....

I can do this....... I can do this....... I can do this.........

Maybe even Liz could do it.

L in Ontario · Post by **L in Ontario** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 5:40 pm

Jeepers - not only is she a breeder of awesome finches, but she's a comedian too!

Nice try, Donna but not in this lifetime!

PS - there are terrific websites that describe how to raise your own mealies and it does sound easy as well as economical! But you didn't hear that from me!

BirdCrazy · Post by **BirdCrazy** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 6:24 pm

I did it in the past and used a cat litter box. I used my Turkey/Gamebird Starter crumbles as bedding and would put fruits in there for moisture. I had a nice colony going and produced lots of mealworms. The main thing I didn't like about them was the odor. I had to toss my whole colony after having it for a couple years when it got those little white mites. I had brought in a culture of white worms and kept it in the same room in my garage. The white worm culture somehow had the mites and they got in my mealworm colony. I got so grossed out that I threw it all away. I think about starting a new colony at some point as my Button Quail love mealworms too. I bought 2000 to start my colony and they grew from there. Good luck!!

B CAMP · Post by **B CAMP** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 6:30 pm

I don't do it but here are three links to start
http://www.wormman.com/mealworm_breeding.cfm
http://www.nyworms.com/mealworms.htm
http://www.fishpondinfo.com/worm.htm#cage

dfcauley · Post by **dfcauley** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 6:47 pm

Well....... maybe not.

B CAMP · Post by **B CAMP** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 7:00 pm

Thats the same thing I said when I read about raising them seems like a lot of containers to have a lot of small worms and then mine don't like the large worms at all. I get by on about $30 per month for the worms and the way they eat them I guess its worth it

dfcauley · Post by **dfcauley** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 7:04 pm

I buy 5,000 each month for 30.00. I guess I will keep doing that.

I could use more, but don't buy more.......

franny · Post by **franny** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 9:51 pm

I bought about 8 tins of the canned mealworms when they were clearing out at Petsmart - only $2.50 a can. For my little GBs this will last a long time. Probably more than a year - although they do eat lots when they are feeding babies. And you're right, it's worth it to see them enjoy their food, and knowing it's good for the babies.

But live ones???!!! NO WAY!

Matt · Post by **Matt** » Mon Mar 02, 2009 7:20 am

I raise my own and they really are quite easy.

I keep mine in plastic drawers that are about 18 inches square and about 2 inches deep. About an inch of bran is placed in each drawer and 2 pieces of hessian is placed on top. I put in 2 pieces of hessian to make it easier to collect the pupae as they all seem to pupate in between the layers.

In a fresh drawer I put in around 150 pupae and wait for the beetles to emerge. For feeding, I give mine whatever the finches have left of their cucumber the day before and whatever fruit skins or vege scraps my kids leave. Once the beetles have been there for a couple of weeks they will turn black. I remove the beetles now before they eat their own eggs. All my old beetles go into the bottom of my feed stations where quite a large colony of worms eats the old seed husks. I installed them about 6 months ago and haven't had to clean them yet (the birds can't access them).

After a couple of weeks, the new worms will start to appear. Make sure they have access to some moisture as they grow but not too much. Too much moisture will invite mites. I have 6 drawers that are continuously cycled. Each drawer produces a few thousand worms which is more than adequate for my needs. If you intend on feeding live food through winter, you need to make sure you breed plenty before the weather gets too cold, as they don't grow much this time of year.

Once you get a regular cycle going it is really easy and hardly takes any time. I would spend a maximum of 10 minutes per week looking after them. Well worth the effort!

dfcauley · Post by **dfcauley** » Mon Mar 02, 2009 8:10 am

Thank you for that info matt.... maybe I will try.... or let my husband do this.

What is hessian? Also do you use those plastic drawers that are on top of each other? Can the beetles get out of those?

Post by **Sally** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 2:16 am

Donna, I use those 3-drawer plastic carts made by Sterlite that you can get at Wal-Mart. I put about 2" of wheat bran in each drawer (I get the wheat bran at the feed store, but I have to buy a 40 or 50 lb. bag. Some feed stores will sell small bags of 5 lb.) In one drawer, I put 1,000 large mealworms. For moisture, I give them slices of potato. These will then pupate, then turn into beetles. Once the beetles have died, scoop them out, and let that drawer sit for a while. One day, you will notice that the top layer seems to be moving. That is your little tiny mealworms, too small to be used, even. Wait a while longer, and you have mini mealworms. The hardest work is sorting out the mealworms from the bran. Some say you can lay newspapers on the top of the bran, and the worms will gather on a the paper. I use a mesh strainer, which lets all the tiny grainy stuff that is their poop fall thru.

Eventually, those minis you don't use will get big enough to move on to another drawer, and you start the cycle all over again. With 3 drawers, one has beetles laying eggs, the next has small and mini worms, and the next has the larger worms that will eventually pupate and turn into beetles.

dfcauley · Post by **dfcauley** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 6:10 am

Thank you Sally. That seems very possible I coudl do that...

Good info. Can you keep these in the winter? I would want them in the barn are, but is that too cold without any heat at all?

Post by **Sally** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 9:51 am

I keep mine in my little back room, but there is a space heater out there, to keep my plumerias from freezing, plus right now, all my quarantine birds from the mart are out there. I think the mealworms will die if the temps get below freezing. In very cold temps, they will almost hibernate and slow way down, so then they don't continue to develop (which is why you store the purchased ones in the refrigerator).

I still have to order some, as I don't always have the right size available just when I need them, but raising them certainly helps. And if you get too many, you can always put some out for the wild birds--bluebirds love them!

mickp · Post by **mickp** » Fri Mar 06, 2009 9:17 am

is there any reason behind using wheat bran? I use pollard for my mealworms to breed in.

Post by **Sally** » Fri Mar 06, 2009 9:37 am

I don't know what pollard is. Some people use game bird starter, or I've heard of oatmeal being used (not the instant kind). Wheat bran just seems to work for me, it is cheap, and the mealworms do eat it.