Breeding Superworms 101

[runko]

Breeding superworms takes some time and some waiting here we go....


we want to seperate them

I use a plano tackle box (walmart 3.99)

then I drill holes in each superworm space (dremel)

and I just wait until they pupate which can take 1-15(20ish) days

Day1

 

[runko]

The curled up one in the first photo is starting to pupate....


Day 2

No other changes but we have more curling up about 8 now.....I'll take a picture tonight......im at work atm........I'll check back later

 

[bitterbeauty]

I am doing the same thing. I am using a bead organizer (1.99 Hobby Lobby) which is pretty much the same thing. I started back in october. All but a few of mine have pupated. I added a pinch of oats to each hole. The superworm pupa are creepier than the mealworm pupa!

 

[bitterbeauty]

Also you can use those small bathroom dixie cups and line them up in a shoe box or plastic bin and put the superworms in each of the cups.

 

[runko]

Bitter,

thanks for the interest I have done this alot....the key is to put them @ room temp in a closet or in a cabinet somewhere dark to stress them to pupate....

btw.....I think adding oats would prolong the process.....Becuz your always going to get 30%-50% die anyways or at least I do

 

[runko]

day 3 and 4

other than more superworms curling up all is the same.....stay tuned

 

[runko]

tonight update

a few already turning into pupae w00t

 

[rcobourn]

I've been putting a small amount of oats in too. I'm getting about a 70% pupation rate. Also trying to pick the fattest superworms to try to pupate.

I've had my first couple dozen beetles for about a month, not seeing any babies yet, and the beetles are starting to die off.

 

[snared99]

I have probably 100-150 beetles, and have been moving them from container to container every 2-3 weeks. The original container is 4-6 weeks old with no signs of babies.
I feed the beetles apples/veggies every other night and have had a 1-2% die off rate thus far. Should i be doing something different, like keep food in the containers after the beetles are removed?? Also i have a 3 inch wheat bran layer for the beetles/babies, is that sufficent til babies are visible or do you have to add veggies there too??

Also When seperating i did it both ways- Some with bran, some containers without- and thus far the bran containers are killing the nonbran containers. just my observation.

 

[Pro Geckos]

I separate my worms into 35mm film containers and offer them no food or water. I use only the largest worms and probably have around a 90% pupation rate.

When you start a new container with brand new beetles it takes at least a week or two before they start laying. For this reason I keep beetles in my first container for 4-6 weeks or until I start seeing babies. Then there after it’s changed every 2-3 weeks when I see babies. After the beetles are removed I always offer thin slices of potato to keep the babies hydrated. They are very susceptible to dehydration and like the large worms will cannibalize or eat eggs for moisture.

 

[snared99]

Cody,
Excellent info! So it takes 4-6 weeks after you first put them in a container to see the babies, then after that you switch them every 2 -3 weeks. How often do you place the potato in the babies bins? And do you feed the beetles the potatos too? I find the beetles love apples...lol

 

[Pro Geckos]

Cody,
Excellent info! So it takes 4-6 weeks after you first put them in a container to see the babies, then after that you switch them every 2 -3 weeks. How often do you place the potato in the babies bins? And do you feed the beetles the potatos too? I find the beetles love apples...lol

Your welcome! From my experience that's correct. I place thin slices of potato in the baby bins every 2-3 days. The older they get the more often you'll need to offer potato. For the beetles they get potato but I also use water crystals on occasion to really hydrate them.

 

[Gecko Euphoria]

The best success I've had is actually puting them in the plano and putting them in my gecko room where its warmer I can get pupae and full beetles in a week of doing this it seems to peed up the proccess. Just my observations, the long thing is waiting for super worms to be born, and grow now thats the wait. Hope this hellps you,

Adam

Breeding superworms takes some time and some waiting here we go....


we want to seperate them

I use a plano tackle box (walmart 3.99)

then I drill holes in each superworm space (dremel)

and I just wait until they pupate which can take 1-15(20ish) days

Day1