My superworm breeding kit Pic Heavy!

[darla200010]

Yes the wings being split is normal...2 wings. Are you sure they don't look eaten? I can't tell for sure but the pic on the right looks like it's tail end is not all there. Other possibilities are not enough to drink as in water crystals or fresh carrots or apples. Another reason, mold. If you let the fruit rot and mold it will kill your bugs. I don't have experience with this but info everywhere says this is true. I have been adding unmedicated chicken feed to my substrate and they seem to like it. Is it possible the bins have been contaminated with a pesticide or something? I don't know, just grasping at straws here.

 

[Catalyst]

Maybe try switching the veggie you're using for moisture for your beetles - try carrots, they're working well for me right now. Also make sure that you're moving the beetles into the bin with carrots as soon as you can after they've morphed and make sure to provide them with lots of fresh veggies the first couple of days. They're very thirsty when they're done morphing and without a source of sufficient moisture they can die off pretty quickly. I also put a piece of egg crating in with my beetles so that they have a place to hide - they seem more comfortable that way. I put the carrot chunks up on the egg crating or on a margarine container lid to keep them off the bedding otherwise the bedding molds up pretty quickly and the bugs die off. I hope you figure out why your beetles are dying - I'm breeding supers now and love it. Fortunately I haven't had any issues with strange die offs.

 

[Everend]

They all look the same. The wing is split and there is somethings white sticking a bit out of the split. On the bottom side the exoskeleton is in tact, rounded in the back.

I do plan on switching to carrots once this bag of potatoes runs out.
I have been moving the new beetles into the beetle bin with the potatoes right away.
I saw some people put the egg crating and thought about doing that, I'll get around to it sometime.

no mold that I can see, i've only been feeding them potatoes.

I heard once that many cereals put a trace amount of pesticide in them to control bugs in the box on the shelf. It is not enough to harm us according to the FDA but enough to kill bugs. Perhaps the oatmeal I used was laced with pesticide.

I just did a goole search on pesticide and oatmeal and #2 on the list was the FDA. "FDA ACTION LEVELS FOR UNAVOIDABLE PESTICIDE RESIDUES IN FOOD AND FEED COMMODITIES:"

http://www.fda.gov/ora/compliance_ref/cpg/cpgfod/cpg575-100.html#ETHYLENE

 

[celtickc86]

They're very thirsty when they're done morphing and without a source of sufficient moisture they can die off pretty quickly. I also put a piece of egg crating in with my beetles so that they have a place to hide - they seem more comfortable that way.

Can one use water crystals?

 

[darla200010]

Can one use water crystals?

Yes, that's what I use because the fruit and veggies dry up so quick at my house.

 

[Marguerite]

How old or long should a superworm be before they will turn into a beetle? I have a lot of worms I have raised but have not put any in a box for reproduction

 

[clear]

after they are grown, about 2" long

 

[KuriousKat]

Wow, that's a really nice, efficient looking setup. I just started a dubia colony, so I don't think I'll be breeding supers any time soon but if I ever do, you can bet I'll be copying you!

 

[clear]

Its working, but its hard keeping something moist in the bottom, it molds fast!

 

[Anglwngss]

I'm trying breeding superworms, too. I got weevils about amonth ago, threw everything out and started a gain. I don't see any itty bitty worms yet, but the new beetles have only been in the setup for a month or so now.

Any idea on either how to get rid or weevils or how to prevent them in the first place?

 

[fresnowitte]

:wave: Chris I like your set-up looks good!

Barbara

 

[clear]

Thanks.

No I had them also, I dont think they will harm anything, they are not mites so...

 

[Anglwngss]

So, I shouldn't worry if they come back in to the superworm bedding?

I don't have any in the roach container. Wonder if the roaches eat the weevils? Also, when I had only superworms and wasn't trying to breed them, I never had any in their bedding either. Only in the stuff with the beetles.

 

[PuffPuff11]

I have about ~25 aliens that are about to be beetles.... I was wondering when do you know that you have baby worms and how do you move all the beetles out of the container.
I guess my question is what do you do once the beetles have reproduced and baby worms are present. move the beetles to a different container and let the worms live in that container?
How many containers does everyone have... right now I have 1 with my superworms that I am using to feed my BD and I have 1 more that I plan on putting the beetles into. Should I get one more for the pupa and another for baby worms? so 4 total? or can I put the baby worms in with the adult super worms?

 

[darla200010]

move the beetles to a different container and let the worms live in that container?

Yes.I have 1 beetle container, well sort of 2, 1 for now and 1 for later. After about 3 weeks I remove all the beetles to a fresh container and dump all the substrate from the one I just took them out of into my worm bin. Then I put new substrate into that bin, ready for the next time.