"Eat at Joe's" !

[Hedge Witch]

Keith - how do you separate the larvae from the adults and food when you are ready to harvest them?

Sorry to hijack, but I just find this process really interesting. I'm sure other WABers will too.

[Tony O-P.]

Thanks for that info' on mealworms. I'll give it a try after reading as much as I can. Any other info please? Cheers, Tony.

[Susie]

Originally Posted by Blackbrook Eye

I have been breeding my own mealworms for about eighteen months and once you have bought your initial stock, you only need a dozen or so to start a collony, the cost amounts to a kilo bag of porridge oats once a year and a few slices of apple, potato or something along those lines to provide them with moisture for drinking, you can then leave them in a jar or some other container to get on with it, no need for a lid on the container, they don't go anywhere. They will eventually turn into Darklin beetles via pupation and the whole process begins again.
As mealworms they will keep for several months in a cool atmosphere and can be kept almost indefinately in a refridgerator.
Hope this is of use.

Keith

Once the mealworms turn into beetles is there anything different you have to do for them to breed? I assume that once you have adults then you do need a lid because they can fly?

[Hedge Witch]

Oh, they fly . This doesn't sound that easy then. And I am now envisaging a day when there will be swarms of beetles as I enter the garage.

[Blackbrook Eye]

Originally Posted by Hedge Witch

Oh, they fly . This doesn't sound that easy then. And I am now envisaging a day when there will be swarms of beetles as I enter the garage.

In answer to the above questions regarding mealworms. Yes they can fly, they just dont, so long as they have a food supply, if it is a concern to you that they may, it is easy to cover the jar with some form of ventilated lid, cling film with plenty of holes is ideal. It is not necessary to separate them at any stage but for convenience, some of the pupae can be removed to another jar of oatmeal, although they obviously can't eat at this stage, the oatmeal will be ready for them as they emerge as beatles and you will not be using your breeding stock as bird food. Apart from that just leave them to get on with it, and they will, with a vengeance.
As with most similar projects, patience is paramount, things don't happen overnight.
Not to go on too much on someone elses thread, for which I appologise, the process is ideal as a teaching aid for youngsters as it is quite fascinating to observe the various stages. Good luck if you decide to have a go at it.

Keith

[Blackbrook Eye]

Just one more point, while on the subject of mealwoms. When you start the breeding program, it will speed up proceedings considderably if the container with the mealworms in is placed in a warm dark environment, mine live in the top of my airing cupboard.

Keith

[Tony O-P.]

For the very useful information you have provided, feel free to hijack as much as you like! Cheers, Tony.