I've got pupae!!

[Kellyr]

I recently started a project to see if I could breed mealworms. I purchased large mealworms from a bait store and set up 4 containers in two plastic shoeboxes and labeled each container for each insect stage (2 in ea. box). Egg, worm, pupa, beetle... Well last night I opened the box for ventilation and removed the worm container to switch out the veggies.. I wondered if the apples would be enough moisture for them so I then misted the bottom of the shoebox with water before placing the container back inside.. and today I found 5 pupae!!! To my surprise when I went to transfer them .. I thought they would be dormant inside there.. they wiggled out of my tongs .. eww that gave me chills. :shocked:
I think the extra humidity may have helped them progress to the next stage since I have read the worms take 2-3 weeks to change... and I just started this experiment on 6-10 (been only 1 week) at 80 degrees F. I never thought I would be so excited over bugs!! Pretty cool tho.. :main_thumbsup:

 

[clear]

Mealworms are very easy to breed, once you get beetles you need to move them weekly or bi-weekly so they dont eat the eggs.

 

[Kellyr]

Easy indeed, I thought it would take longer than one week! I guess I bought mature mealies.. here are some pics.. I thought it was odd that the very 1st time I misted the container.. the very next morning they had changed.. it makes me think that the moisture helped metamorphosis occur :main_robin:

 

[HatchetGirl]

eew haha yeah I had some mealworms that I left out (kinda forgot about em >.<) and when I saw them they changed into pupae and it scared the *^%* outta me lol. They looked like little aliens, at least I thought so. I thought they were dead and I went to pick one up with my tongs and it wiggled....Yeah....heebie jeebies.......:main_rolleyes:

 

[ssscales]

You'll need larger tubs soon...:main_yes:

 

[Kellyr]

Beetles in the house!! I found 3 today that just turned (they are creamy colored) so I will be out to get my bigger bins soon

 

[Bling_my_leo]

Gosh. Your lucky! None of my mealies have turned into pupae yet. They ahev been in teh oat meal and stuff for almost 1 week. Some have died... don't know what I'm doing wrong...

 

[Bling_my_leo]

Beetles in the house!! I found 3 today that just turned (they are creamy colored) so I will be out to get my bigger bins soon

I so envy you! How come your stages are going by really fast?

I keep my colony in my bed room and room tempo. My room (so it says on my lizard temp thing) 80 ish....

 

[bellicose]

Have you been providing them food (apples/carrots work)? They need some food that is wet to give them their water as well.

 

[Kellyr]

It took about 8-9 days for them to go through metamorphosis. Half of the 40 I started with were from a different petstore.. their fridge wasn't working very well so they were very active and changed first. From the others that were cold when I got them, I have about 15 worms left out of 20. I just wanted to post this b/c I read that they just werent pupating or becoming beetles anymore.. luckily thats not the reason Its pretty cool to watch them change. Give it a few more days... my room is at about 79 - 80 also. The air is on and I closed my vent on the 3rd floor.. good for them but hard for me to sleep at night... too warm.

 

[Bling_my_leo]

Have you been providing them food (apples/carrots work)? They need some food that is wet to give them their water as well.

Yes. I ahve. I use potatos.

 

[rhino43grr]

from my experience they seem to almost thrive on neglect, the more you check on them the longer it takes sometimes.

 

[brad.a.c]

Cool, good luck with them!