Anybody raise meal worms?

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Stias'

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Dec 15, 2002
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How long does it take to get worms? I bought a small tub of 50 worms about a month ago and they finally have gotten to beatles now. They took a long time because the worms were only half size of adults. How long from now till I see the baby worms?

Thanks
Stias'
 
RTR

They are in a aluninum disposable baking pan with cover. They are in the basement so the temp varies a little because the thermastat automatically lowers during the day, say 62-75 max and mininum. They are in a bed of uncooked dry oatmeal. They get moisture from a slice of potato but I am thinking of going to apple because I can give a slice to the worms and eat the rest (no waste).

Thanks
Stias'
 
I've kept mealworms for a while now.

Setup
10 gallon tank (without lid) kept in a closet.
4 inchs of oatmeal in the bottom
slices of potato's and apple
started out with 2 dozen mealies.

I've had them for about 11 months. Now every month I remove the dead beatles and change the oatmeal. It's full of baby mealies every time. I use them for fishing but my oscar enjoys them as a treat once in a while. Pretty carefree food source it seems, that doesn't have a problem renewing themselves.
 
My setup is similar, I use Rubbermaid ~sweater box configuration covered bins, nominal 3 gallon (16 x 10 1/2 x 7") with the top vented and the vents covered with fiberglass screen. Inside my food depth is less, no more tha 1 1/2 to 2" as I thought I was throwing away a lot of uneaten food. On top of the food I have 3-4 layers of washed burlap (stiched edges to prevent fraying) - this makes collection easier, just pull back one sheet or two and easily see and get the needed"worms".

I do tend to rotate through the moisture/vitamin foods - potato, apple, and sliced raw carrots. I feel that I'm wasting less with the last two also. ;) I do place the veggie/fruit on small plastic lids on the burlap - the Apple is quick to mold, and I don't want to contaminate the culture. The plastic lids are wasable or disposable.

Mine are warmer than yours as they are on shelves in the fish room, so they are at 74-78F (day/night). Mine do grow pretty quickly, but I can't give you real dates, I don't watch them that closely.

It sounds like your technique should do fine.
 
thanks firefighter and RTR

Any guesses to how long before I show sighs of the baby worms? I got 2 of the disposable pans, I am planing on rotating them, one clean at all times then when I clean the other I can put the beatles and worms right in the other bin. I am looking for a time table so I know I can throw out the first batch of beading with out throwing all the baby worms before they get too big to be seen. I just transfered the beatles to the second pan but I dont see and babys, if I throw the bedding in the first pan with babys, I am screwed and will need to get another starter culture.

Another question, how many worms do you harvest a week? I want to get an idea what a sustainable pull rate is for a given size bed.

Thanks
Stias'

Val, I read that the worms and beatles eat the oatmeal, the potato/apple/carrot slices are just for moisture for both beatles and worms. Them will munch on the p/a/c and get nutrients from it though. I am still learning how to get this going but I got the basics from a google search: raising meal worms.
 
The tiniest "worms" are in the meal. The larger worms and beetles are both between the layers and on the surface to get the p/a/c, but the beetles seem mostly surface. Obviously they lay eggs in the meal. The chyrsilis (sp?) are between the fabric layers mostly. If the moisture gets low, they will be eaten by the others. Both "worms" and beetles eat the meal, and the p/a/c (I like the abbreviation - thanks).

It has been so long since I started my cultures I'd be hard pressed to say when they start or what cycle time is. I transfer both beetles and mid-sized worms to the clean tray. At heaviest I keep three trays going, harvesting a few dozen every other day. I look in the fresh trays regularly, but guess it is about a month before I start harvesting. I have four trays, so it one seemed bad, I could start fresh with the spare. Right now I only have two going, and give away mealworms every week (friend with birds). I don't think it is needed to start fresh each time, I usually just scoop out ~1/2 the old meal, drop it on a newspaper, toss the baby worms I missed back in the tray and refill with fresh food. That is done at 3-5 week intervals, depending on how productive the culture is.
 
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