Mealworm Poisoning?

[nightshade]

Thank you all I have umpteen birds scouring the garden at present for insects, in particular a pair of Blackbirds and many Sparrows
mealworm

[Phoebe]

Originally Posted by wildliferescuer

We breed our own, keep them in bran, but fresh slices of apple in every day (taking out the previous days), put pieces of cuttlefish in too which they eat & corrugated cardboard on top of the bran.
They do very well & we rarely have to buy any in as they breed so well.

I didn't know how to breed them. Do they turn into beetles and then lay? Could you give me more info please.

[wildliferescuer]

The eggs hatch into mealworms. They eventually pupate, then become beetles which then lay eggs and it all starts all over again.

[Phoebe]

Thanks, so how big should the box be and what do the beetles feed on?

[wildliferescuer]

Originally Posted by Phoebe

Thanks, so how big should the box be and what do the beetles feed on?

The size of box depends on how many mealworms you are planning on keeping/breeding.
If you look through the thread you will find my post explaining what we use to feed them etc.

[Phoebe]

Originally Posted by Elizabeth B

I buy mealworms by mail order, and when they arrive put them into an ice cream box, and add a slice of potato, cut into 2 or 3 pieces. As they eat the bran in which they arrive, I add a little more bran (bought loose from the pet shop - much cheaper that branded products from a supermarket), remove any dried up potato and add a fresh slice.

I'm also offering mini mealworms now that the bluetit eggs have hatched - but the parents seem to be finding plenty of little green caterpillars at the moment. (One of our boxes is in a large mature oak tree, so perhaps they don't need to go far to find food)?

Thanks Elizabeth, I had read this but didn't know the beetles fed on the same food

[Elizabeth B]

Originally Posted by Phoebe

Thanks Elizabeth, I had read this but didn't know the beetles fed on the same food

Sorry Phoebe, we have our wires crossed here - I was writing about how we feed the mealworms when they arrive by mail order.

[nightshade]

Originally Posted by Phoebe

I didn't know how to breed them. Do they turn into beetles and then lay? Could you give me more info please.

See my reply re: mealworm link

[Phoebe]

Originally Posted by nightshade

See my reply re: mealworm link

Ah thank you that is very informative

[JuliaT]

[/quote] Julia, I suspect that the worms will be safe for the birds, but you could purge them on a different diet for a few days to be sure.[/quote]

Thank you for your advice. I have been feeding them sweet potatoe for the past few days and plan to start feeding the birds again this coming week.