Breeding and Maintaining Mealworms....Part Deux

[Cybercyde]

I'm going to buy some more food(I have none now) and grind it down(blender hopefully) to a powder or close enough to it. That way I can use a strainer/collander to sift the substrate out and throw it away while not throwing away the mwalworms.

A few options. ^_^ Blending grains/oat like foods with a blender will eventually piss it off (This is coming from someone who's gone through more than a few - Even commercial grade setups won't really like it). Consider asking a family member/friend if they have a kitchen aid mixer with grinder, meat grinder, or grain mill.

Consider finding a local home brew shop. Most will grind your grains for you (very cheaply), or sell preground mixes in bulk.

If you're really after it, consider buying a grain mill down the road. Without overly dry grains you'll have trouble hitting a truly small particle size, but they'll still come out well. Search for "whole grain brewing" - the beer guys have a pretty good take on what works. An actual mill might be the best bet for what you want.

I suppose I'll tread lightly here. Any denominations that practice emergency awareness and rotate 2-4 months of food storage will typically have members happy to grind grains. If you have a friend, family member, girlfriend, or you're involved in said denomination, you may have more help than you know what to do with.

I still vote for checking local bakery/kitchen closings. I gave craigslist a shot for Dayton (as it's roughly in the middle), but no dice. Considering how lightweight your setups are, you could likely get away with a DIY shelving setup and save some money.

 

[MyGiants]

Yeah when their beetles you just change their water source so it doesn't get moldy. After awhile the eggs will hatch and all and the beetles will eat the smaller mealworms so you will want to change them after that, but that's it. I'm breeding them to sell them, just a side hobby thing.

Well when you get the superworms to size I may buy them from you if the price is right

I watched a few vids on youtube of breeders. Looked pretty easy. Once all the beetles have died then you wait for the eggs to hatch. I don't heat mine or maintain a warm temperature. Its actually kinda cold where I keep them. This maybe slowing there process down. Most of them are still alive with some beetles have died. I assume those have laid there eggs, not sure. Will see I'll keep my fingers crossed I get some worms.

 

[rain21]

im reading your other thread

 

[packer43064]

A few options. ^_^ Blending grains/oat like foods with a blender will eventually piss it off (This is coming from someone who's gone through more than a few - Even commercial grade setups won't really like it). Consider asking a family member/friend if they have a kitchen aid mixer with grinder, meat grinder, or grain mill.

Consider finding a local home brew shop. Most will grind your grains for you (very cheaply), or sell preground mixes in bulk.

If you're really after it, consider buying a grain mill down the road. Without overly dry grains you'll have trouble hitting a truly small particle size, but they'll still come out well. Search for "whole grain brewing" - the beer guys have a pretty good take on what works. An actual mill might be the best bet for what you want.

I suppose I'll tread lightly here. Any denominations that practice emergency awareness and rotate 2-4 months of food storage will typically have members happy to grind grains. If you have a friend, family member, girlfriend, or you're involved in said denomination, you may have more help than you know what to do with.

I still vote for checking local bakery/kitchen closings. I gave craigslist a shot for Dayton (as it's roughly in the middle), but no dice. Considering how lightweight your setups are, you could likely get away with a DIY shelving setup and save some money.

I googled some and found some cheaper ones. They looked like crap compared to an industrial huge one though. I'll keep an eye out on one. Search Craigslist often.
Thanks, didn't even think of something like that.

Well when you get the superworms to size I
may buy them from you if the price is right

I watched a few vids on youtube of breeders. Looked pretty easy. Once all the beetles have died then you wait for the eggs to hatch. I don't heat mine or maintain a warm temperature. Its actually kinda cold where I keep them. This maybe slowing there process down. Most of them are still alive with some beetles have died. I assume those have laid there eggs, not sure. Will see I'll keep my fingers crossed I get some worms.

The beetles have been known to eat the eggs and smaller mealworms. I've never seen any chewed up mealworms, but most change the beetles to a new container in a few weeks.. I would just to make it simple put your beetle substrate into the mealworm tub or put the beetles into a new tub. Whichever is easier. At cold temps everything is slowed down, so it might be awhile to see the baby mealworms, but they should be there.

It sucks trying to keep insects warm in the winter.

im reading your other thread

 

[Cybercyde]

I googled some and found some cheaper ones. They looked like crap compared to an industrial huge one though. I'll keep an eye out on one. Search Craigslist often.
Thanks, didn't even think of something like that.

It's been a while, but I believe there were some "proven" options in the $200-$300 range that were powered by a diy motor / hand crank / corded-cordless drill. I'll have to take a look after a bit.

For example, I picked up a $300 pasta roller at Sears on clearance thanks to a happy mislabling at $25. ^_^ (No, I don't mind turning the hand crank, or finding a helper to knock out 3-4' long pasta runs. )

 

[MyGiants]

I got worms! My Mealie container got thousands of babies! about 1/4-1/2". Mealies were the first mealworms I bought before I decided Superworms were the worms I really wanted to raise. Still alot of live beatles in that same container so I don't know if I should separate into another container.

 

[packer43064]

I got worms! My Mealie container got thousands of babies! about 1/4-1/2". Mealies were the first mealworms I bought before I decided Superworms were the worms I really wanted to raise. Still alot of live beatles in that same container so I don't know if I should separate into another container.

Awesome dude! You'll get even more if you move the beetles into another container. This way you'll have 2 containers of mealworms to use for awhile and if you need more the second container can start your new batch. Either way congrats! Those mealworms and beetles will make fast of the subtrate in due time!

 

[packer43064]

It's been a while, but I believe there were some "proven" options in the $200-$300 range that were powered by a diy motor / hand crank / corded-cordless drill. I'll have to take a look after a bit.

For example, I picked up a $300 pasta roller at Sears on clearance thanks to a happy mislabling at $25. ^_^ (No, I don't mind turning the hand crank, or finding a helper to knock out 3-4' long pasta runs. )

Thanks for the info. Also nice mislabeling!!!!

 

[Cybercyde]

Thanks for the info. Also nice mislabeling!!!!

Indeed. ^_^

Any luck on the whole grain front or non-medicated chicken feed?

Currently getting the look from the missus for toying with the idea of letting some Orange Spotted or Turkistan roaches have a few tupperware bins under the stairs.

It's great fun to watch solid logic lose out every time.

Tropical - won't breed / survive long if they get out into a 60F food free basement room.
Next to odorless, make crickets look like skunks.
Next to free in terms of upkeep. Egg cartons / scrap veggies
Disease free / on hand feeders.

VS

OMG roaches!



I'll just let her float the tab for crickets / mealworms in the meantime until I can get back out and dig up the redworms the fish love.

 

[RickyOutlaw]

Awesome thread