Breeding and raising live mealworms is a simple process but it is a time consuming endeavour and requires regular attention and care. Raising mealworms to have a consistent supply year round saves a great deal of money versus purchasing multiple times per year from a local feed store or an online retailer. You are also more likely to have higher yield when the worms are home grown. Listed below are instructions on raising, breeding and maintaining a colony of mealworms. You can purchase a Mealworm Breeder Kit that includes everything you need to kickstart your colony. If all goes well, you should have mealworms to use as feeders within about 3 months.
The life stages of the mealworm are displayed in the diagram below. Again, the duration of the life cycle will depend on the temperature the mealworms are stored. If all goes well, you should have mealworms to use as feeders within about 3 months. The mealworm will stay in the larvae stage for about 4-6 weeks. The duration of the pupa stage usually lasts around 1-3 weeks. Once the pupa turns into an adult beetle it will reproduce and lay eggs until the life cycle ends and the beetle dies. You will need to separate any eggs or larvae from the beetles. If you fail to separate them, the beetles will eat them. Dead mealworms and beetles should be removed from the container and discarded. Continuing reading below for steps on maintaining your colony after eggs are laid.
CONTINUED DETAILS ON THE LIFE CYCLE CHANGES: The life cycle of a darkling beetle starts with an egg. The egg hatches into larva, commonly known as a mealworm. Larvae burrow below the surface of the grain and undergo a series of molts, shedding their exoskeleton. The last molt occurs about three months after the egg stage. Newly molted larva are white, and the exoskeleton has not hardened so they may be more digestible. The fully grown larvae (mealworms) are golden brown and a little over one inch long. The larvae come to the surface of the substrate, turn soft and plump, and then transform into naked white pupae that turns yellowish brown. The pupae dont eat or move much. After about 1-3 weeks the pupae metamorphose into beetles. At first the beetle is white/light beige with a soft shell, and then it darkens and hardens to red, brown, and finally turns dark brown/black after about 2-7 days. The beetle is about a half to three quarters of an inch long and slightly flat. This beetle will reproduce for a few months before dying, where the life cycles ends.
Supplements: You can add supplements to make your mealworms fatter and healthier before feeding. Sprinkle supplements into the bedding or directly on the fruit used in the breeding container. Example of supplements are ZooPro High Protein Supplement, calcium supplement (or finely ground egg shells), wheat germ, soybean meal, fish flakes, fine mouse cubes, bone meal, graham (whole wheat) flour, and dry brewers yeast (provides proteins).
Mites: Sometimes a mealworm colony gets infested by grain mites (Acarus siro). The mites are tiny and round, whitish or tan in color, and have eight legs. They may cling to air holes and look like very fine sawdust but they can not fly. The mites may come from the mealworm supplier, in bran bedding and may infest a colony that has been around for a long period of time. Excessive moisture may also be a contributor. Mites are prolific breeders (800 eggs/female) and can withstand temperatures of 0 degrees and still hatch when brought to room temperature. Once they infect a colony you must trash it and start over. To prevent mite infestation use only Exotic Nutrition Mealworm Keeper. Since mites cant fly, the only way to infiltrate a breeding container is to crawl inside. By floating the mealworm container in water (to create a moat), you prevent mite infestation. You can also stand the container up on legs, each of which sits in a small container of water. Use Vaseline to line the container with a 2″ wide band on the outside just after you wash and dry it to prevent mites from getting into a worm bed.
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The diagram below illustrates the mealworm’s life stages. Once more, the temperature at which the mealworms are kept will determine how long their life cycle lasts. If all goes according to plan, you should have mealworms in about three months to use as feeders. The mealworm will spend four to six weeks in the larvae stage. The pupa stage typically lasts one to three weeks. The pupa will continue to reproduce and lay eggs after maturing into an adult beetle until its life cycle ends and it perishes. Any eggs or larvae from the beetles must be separated. The beetles will consume them if you don’t separate them. Dead beetles and mealworms need to be taken out of the container and thrown away. For instructions on keeping your colony going after eggs are laid, keep reading below.
Please be aware that Exotic Nutrition is unable to offer personalized health and care recommendations. For more details, please check out our animal information tabs or think about buying a care guidebook. Notify your veterinarian or a qualified technician if you have a medical or pet emergency. Search Search Recent Posts.
Mites: Grain mites (Acarus siro) can occasionally infest a colony of mealworms. The mites have eight legs, are round, and are whitish or tan in color. They can’t fly, but they can cling to air holes and resemble extremely fine sawdust. The mites may enter a colony that has been established for a long time through bran bedding, the mealworm supplier, or another source. Excessive moisture may also be a contributor. Mites can tolerate temperatures as low as 0 degrees and still hatch when brought to room temperature. They breed prolifically, producing 800 eggs per female. As soon as they infect a colony, it must be destroyed and rebuilt. To prevent mite infestation use only Exotic Nutrition Mealworm Keeper. Since mites are unable to fly, they must crawl inside of breeding containers in order to enter. You can avoid mite infestation by submerging the mealworm container in water to create a moat. Alternatively, you can elevate the container using its legs, each of which rests in a tiny water container. As soon as you wash and dry the container, line it with a 2″ wide band of Vaseline to keep mites out of the worm bed.
Although breeding and raising live mealworms is a straightforward process, it takes a lot of time and requires constant care. Compared to buying mealworms from a nearby feed store or an internet seller several times a year, raising mealworms to have a steady supply all year long is far less expensive. When you grow your own worms, you also have a better chance of getting a larger yield. Here are guidelines for caring for, propagating, and harvesting a mealworm colony. A Mealworm Breeder Kit, which comes with everything you need to get your colony started, is available for purchase. If all goes according to plan, you should have mealworms in about three months to use as feeders.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE LIFE CYCLE CHANGES: A darkling beetle’s life cycle begins with an egg. The egg hatches into larva, commonly known as a mealworm. Larvae tunnel beneath the grain’s surface, going through several molts during which they shed their exoskeleton. About three months after the egg stage, the final molt takes place. Larvae that have just molted are white, and because their exoskeleton hasn’t hardened, they might be easier to digest. The fully developed mealworm larvae are slightly longer than an inch and have a golden brown color. When the larvae reach the substrate’s surface, they become soft and plump and eventually change into naked white pupae that eventually turn yellowish brown. The pupae dont eat or move much. After about 1-3 weeks the pupae metamorphose into beetles. The beetle has a soft shell and is initially white or light beige. After two to seven days, it hardens and darkens, turning red, brown, and finally dark brown or black. The beetle is somewhat flat and measures between half and three quarters of an inch in length. A few months will pass before this beetle dies, marking the end of its life cycle.
I enjoy caring for my herd of prize beetles, but it takes a few months to get a really good and productive mealworm farm going. In the summer, adding a few apple slices and watching the beetles swarm around it like miniature buffalo around a waterhole is the most satisfying thing to do.
If, like me, you consider mealworms to be a luxury food for birds, you might not be pleased when a whole day’s worth of supply is consumed in five minutes or dispersed all over the place by the neighborhood magpie.
Provide a source of moisture on occasion; carrot slices work well for this, but don’t overdo it as mold can grow and cause serious issues for the mealworms.
It is important to note that patience is necessary, as it will take approximately four months for your mealworm culture to begin producing a consistent and uninterrupted supply of fully grown mealworms.
Additionally, you need a location that is steady, moderately warm, dark, and uninhabited (ideally around 25°C).
FAQ
Do mealworms need a mate to reproduce?
What temperature do mealworms breed at?