Easy feeders to culture?

[sinensispsyched]

Oh sorry, I believe I read what you said before, but, since I'm rather inexperienced, not much is easy for me in terms of feeder insects.

As others have said, mealworms are also pretty forgiving. I left my culture at home during the summer, and, when I came back, I found another generation.

 

[Malakyoma]

Oh sorry, I believe I read what you said before, but, since I'm rather inexperienced, not much is easy for me in terms of feeder insects.

As others have said, mealworms are also pretty forgiving. I left my culture at home during the summer, and, when I came back, I found another generation.

Yeah I dont see the problem with having a big tank with tons of mealworms in it and just let them pupate, eclose, breed all right there. Its just a matter of the adult beetles potentially eating the eggs/worms. I separate mine to maximize the amount of individuals in a new generation.

In other news I pulled 30 pupae out of the drawer today, also 6 dead worms . Replaced all of them. Still maybe 150 supers in their bucket.

 

[patrickfraser]

My process has begun and pupae are being removed and replaced with new worms. I am using three "7-day" pill sorters. I have A LOT of superworms still. I don't know if I'd need to pupate them all, but I guess if I start to see die off I will begin mass pupation. I'll see how long they can hold out. Do superworms have a set number of molts like mantids, or will they just continually molt until being provided the "proper" conditions to pupate? How long can they live as worms?

 

[Bug Trader]

The last order of 1500 superworms I received were already 1.5-2'' and Ive had them thriving for 6 weeks.

 

[Malakyoma]

When I get mine they're already adult, ready to pupate after a couple days of feeding and drinking. Some of them have started dying off that I got a month and a half ago.

 

[patrickfraser]

I now have beetles of both superworm and mealworm...AND tiny superworms and mealworms. It looks like a success. :detective:

 

[Malakyoma]

Same here. The second generation of meelworms are turning into beetles, and the second gen of supers are about the size of mealworms.

 

[Reptiliatus]

Patrick have you tried waxworms? I have read that they are pretty easy to culture and they do turn into moths so you can also feed the moths. I have not tried them yet but plan to soon. I like the idea of culturing moths or butterflies.

I think Mime454 is breeding them? How's that going Mime?

I have grain moths that have been breeding in my Lateralis roach colony and I have been feeding them to my creos and ghosts and they seem to really like them. However, I'm not sure how long that is going to last.

I breed and culture wax worms with great success. I think I am going to have to make a thread about it. It's quite easy and pays off incredibly.

 

[Malakyoma]

I breed and culture wax worms with great success. I think I am going to have to make a thread about it. It's quite easy and pays off incredibly.

None of mine pupated and hatched for me. The reptile place I got them from they had never been able to do it either. They thought the guy they got them from did something so they couldnt.

 

[ScienceGirl]

I bought some pill sorters yesterday and have separated about 40 superworms. How long does it take for them to pupate? If these do pupate, it indicates that the rest of the colony will do so, as well. I have a lot of superworms and was wondering how long they will live before just dying off. Since they will not pupate in a colony, I am assuming they'd just die off if unable to pupate.

Great idea!

I now have beetles of both superworm and mealworm...AND tiny superworms and mealworms. It looks like a success. :detective:

Very cool! I'd like to see a zoomed out picture of your setup. I'm really interested in breeding mealworms, since they seem like a very easy feeder to maintain populations from.

I breed and culture wax worms with great success. I think I am going to have to make a thread about it. It's quite easy and pays off incredibly.

Oh, please do make a thread! I'd love to read about it. Are they like mealworms?

 

[patrickfraser]

Check out youtube. Lots of instructionals and set ups to see. They are super easy. For both superworms and mealworms it is just oats and carrots (some people use potato) for moisture. The only odd step for superworms is separating them to pupate, but basically the same once they turn into beetles. Just let them do their thing.