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Thread: Mealworm Colony

  1. #1
    BPnet Veteran Jay_Bunny's Avatar
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    Mealworm Colony

    I started off my colony with 100 mealworms. Most of them have been fed off to my leo, Chibi, but a few have become pupa and a couple of beetles. From 100 mealworms I now have, 4 beetles and 10 pupa. My colony is on its way to producing me some wormies.

    Does anyone know how to tell the difference between male and female beetles? I have four and there are two that are bigger than the other two. And when can I expect them to start producing babies once they become black? (two are still brown).
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    BPnet Veteran Evan Jamison's Avatar
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    Re: Mealworm Colony

    The larger beetles are females. They start to lay eggs within days of emerging as adults, but you won't have large mealworms for at least a couple months, so be sure to have another supply until they get up to size. I would recommend letting at least a dozen or so more worms pupate to get a steady supply in the future, and replacing them with each new batch of worms.

    -Evan

  3. #3
    BPnet Veteran Jay_Bunny's Avatar
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    Re: Mealworm Colony

    I have a few hopeful worms in the container that I suspect will pupate soon. I'm starting to be able to recognize when a worm is about to pupate. They don't crawl around as much and when you pick them up, they wiggle in a way that the pupa does. I spotted at least 2 worms that have become sluggish, so I'll check tonight and tomorrow morning for more pupa.

    I will be getting another 100 worms today from the store, so I will have a steady supply of worms until my colony gets going.

    Thanks for the help!
    Under Construction.....

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