# mealworm staple



## Sphynx016 (Jan 15, 2016)

This is for the future rather than now considering that most of my mealworms are too big for them,but when they get get bigger they will be able to so is it okay to have mealworms as a staple food source ?i heard they are high in fat.please help

thanks


----------



## happy1892 (Jan 16, 2016)

I don't know. I would guess they could. If there is anything bad in mealworms (like the high fat) maybe they could handle it better if fed moderately? Can you breed crickets? You could maybe keep some crickets in the refrigerator to store them while having some others grow at room temp so that you would have two or so different sizes.


----------



## Sphynx016 (Jan 16, 2016)

i did infact i have a ton of cricket eggs thatt still didnt hatch and hatched a bunch of nymphs earlier.but right now they are too smal fora decent meal


----------



## happy1892 (Jan 16, 2016)

So you are having some crickets hatching everyday? Mine grew pretty fast, but I kept them at around 100F.

Edit: About putting them in the fridge to slow them down for storage. I would test with a few crickets first for several days or weeks in the refrigerator before putting a bunch in there, since I haven't tried it myself I don't know if they would survive it.


----------



## Ghost_Keeper (Jan 16, 2016)

I used mealworms as a staple for my orchids, and the trick with them is to cut them open (buy superworms, not mealworms) and separate the gooey white bits from the black bits. feed them the gooey white bits. If you're using mealworms, just average ones, just shear it with a toothpick, tear off the head so they have somewhere to start, and they will do the rest.


----------



## twolfe (Jan 16, 2016)

I try to provide my mantids with a varied diet. It's harder to do so here in Minnesota during the winter. I offer many of my mantids mealworms now and then to add variety to their diet. Since I raise my own, I know that they are healthy. I also use them as an emergency food source if I don't have any hatched flies available. I do remove the head when I first offer them to a mantid that has never eaten them before. Once they are familiar with them, I offer them intact, and they know what to do.


----------



## happy1892 (Jan 17, 2016)

Bee pollen is said to be good for mantises, that is if you have some.


----------

