Something Weird's Going On In My Mealworm Box

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Selkie1993

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Drogon <3 RIP 2019- March 11, 2024 Lily: new girl in the house/ 5 months old
Hello!

This is my second batch of mealworms I'm breeding with stock originally purchased from rainbow mealworms. In this latest batch, I'm having a huge die off of pupae every day. Theyre,white and grey, shriveled, and some look chewed through. I'm also having a problem with some of the beetles, which are deformed and stuck through a half-pupae half-beetle phase, which is so sad. I also picked up one of my my mealies and it had a hard white part stuck on its butt? (pupae shell?)

Lastly, there is a very weird smell, almost fetid and musty, but I just changed the bedding and its not molded, very dry. :puke:

What is going on?? And are these bugs still safe for Drogon (I hope so, since he eats mealies like a champ).
Selkie
 

Claudiusx

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Hi Selkie, the smell is most likely the dying bugs. I've experienced it before too. When supers and mealworms die and rot, they stink to high heavens.

Are you allowing your mealworms to fully grow before letting them morph into beetles? This will increase their chances of changing successfully.

And are you offering them enough food/moisture?

-Brandon
 

Selkie1993

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Drogon <3 RIP 2019- March 11, 2024 Lily: new girl in the house/ 5 months old
Claudiusx":ku6112we said:
Hi Selkie, the smell is most likely the dying bugs. I've experienced it before too. When supers and mealworms die and rot, they stink to high heavens.

Are you allowing your mealworms to fully grow before letting them morph into beetles? This will increase their chances of changing successfully.

And are you offering them enough food/moisture?

-Brandon


Hi Brandon!

Haven’t heard from you in a while :)

Yes, i just let them do their thing and change when its time! And i regularly change between apples, potatoes and zucchini or squash when I have it on hand.

Any idea what the white stub is on their butts? Do you think the batch is still safe for Drogon to eat or should i give them to the turtles and fish in my backyard?

Selkie
 

Selkie1993

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Drogon <3 RIP 2019- March 11, 2024 Lily: new girl in the house/ 5 months old
Claudiusx":m57icj9n said:
Hi Selkie, the smell is most likely the dying bugs. I've experienced it before too. When supers and mealworms die and rot, they stink to high heavens.

Are you allowing your mealworms to fully grow before letting them morph into beetles? This will increase their chances of changing successfully.

And are you offering them enough food/moisture?

-Brandon

Update:

The pupaes keep dying and the mealworms seem to have a mold problem. The smell is nasty. Going to give them to the turtles and birds outside since I have another colony starting up.

Gross >_<
Selkie
 
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