Cultivation of mealworms is a delicate job.

Let’s briefly introduce the method of raising mealworms for your reference.

1. Biological characteristics of mealworm

Mealworm is a holometabolous insect.

Its life goes through four stages: egg, larvae, pupa, and adult (moth).

After several molts, the body length of mealworm larvae continues to increase.

When the body is 23 cm long, it begins to transform into a pupa.

When the pupa is at room temperature of 2530°C, it turns into an adult in 3 days, and then begins to lay eggs and dies.

When the room temperature is suitable, it takes about 40 days to breed for one generation.

2. Mealworm breeding technology

For mealworms to lay eggs, egg-laying foil is needed.

The spawning box is generally made of 2 layers. The bottom layer is the egg-catching layer. Its size depends on the number. The bottom is nailed with fiberboard or wooden boards, and the egg-catching paper is spread on top. The four walls are made of 35 Centimeter-high wooden boards can be nailed.

After the egg-laying box is completed, the adults can be placed on the middle gauze and allowed to mate and lay eggs freely.

After the eggs are laid, slowly take out the egg-catching paper. When larvae are found on the egg-rescuing paper, they can be placed in a breeding box and raised.

3. Feeding and management of mealworms

The equipment for raising mealworms is simple and can be raised in tanks, basins, boxes, pools, etc.

(1) The size of the tank can be any size, but the inner wall must be smooth to prevent insects from crawling out.

For small-scale breeding, tanks and pots are very good tools.

(2) Wooden boxes are ideal for raising mealworms.

The advantage is that it can be moved and easy to manage. The boxes can also be put up layer by layer on wooden frames, which can make full use of the space.

The sides of the basin can be fixed with 10 cm high plastic sheeting.

(3) Huangshan insect pond should be built for large-scale breeding in ponds.

The size of the pond depends on the amount of breeding. The pond should be built on the ground. The bottom of the pond should be plastered with cement on the four walls, and plastic sheeting or glass should be fixed on the inner wall to prevent insects from crawling out.

IV. Issues that need to be paid attention to when cultivating mealworms

(1) Mealworms have the bad habit of killing each other, so they must be raised separately, and the eggs and pupae should be released separately.

(2) It is normal for male adults and some old female adults to die after mating. The bodies should be removed in time to avoid rotting, deterioration and causing infectious diseases.

(3) The egg-catching paper should be replaced once every 35 days. The replaced egg-catching paper should be gently rolled into a cylinder and placed alone in the breeding box. Do not touch or squeeze it.

(4) Larvae can grow normally if fed only bran.

In order to promote egg-laying, adult worms need to be fed some nutritious food, such as mixed grains or a small amount of fish meal added to bran.

(5) The bodies of newly molted adults are very delicate and have weak resistance. They cannot eat mountainous feed containing too much water and can only eat vegetables or melons with less water.

(6) The temperature in summer is high and yellow worms grow quickly. You should pay attention to feeding more fruits and melons that contain more water, and remove the peeled skins in time and pay attention to ventilation and moisture prevention.