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EE_
22nd May 2010, 05:45 PM
I started a mealworm farm a month ago when I found out how nutritious they are and how much the chickens love them.
It is very simple, easy and at $3.50 for a couple dozen at the store, worth doing.
Right now I have beetles and will soon have eggs.
I'll post again when I see how many hatch/grow.
http://www.efinch.com/mealworms/mealworm.htm

Anyone else try it?

StackerKen
22nd May 2010, 06:39 PM
yep
we've been doing it for bout 5 or 6 months now...we have Tons of em now..
...I'll get some pics up soon

EE_
22nd May 2010, 06:42 PM
yep
we've been doing it for bout 5 or 6 months now...we have Tons of em now..
...I'll get some pics up soon

Cool, tons are good! How long did the cycle take?
I'd like to see a picture...I bet others would too. Great food source.

willie pete
22nd May 2010, 06:52 PM
Post some of your favorite recipes too EE :D

StackerKen
22nd May 2010, 07:00 PM
yep
we've been doing it for bout 5 or 6 months now...we have Tons of em now..
...I'll get some pics up soon

Cool, tons are good! How long did the cycle take?
I'd like to see a picture...I bet others would too. Great food source.


I will have to ask my wife how long the cycle takes...she is in charge of raising them....lol

This is what they live in

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h55/baytraderken/mealwormhome.jpg

this is part of the drawer the beetles are in (they are eating a carrot)
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h55/baytraderken/mealwormbeatles.jpg

and here is some of the bigger worms (they are eating a Potato)

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h55/baytraderken/mealworms.jpg

I will have to use my wifes camera to try to get pictures of the millions of tiny ones

:)

StackerKen
22nd May 2010, 07:12 PM
Here is one more I took with the wifes camera..

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h55/baytraderken/mealworms2.jpg


Its hard to get a good shot of the whole drawer full


We are feeding them to our bearded dragons and wifes tree frogs...lol

and will soon be feeding them to the chickens also.

My wife is also raising Cockroaches....lol (for the dragons)

EE_
22nd May 2010, 07:22 PM
Man, that's the way to go!
Thanks, I'll be making mine bigger once I get the first ones.

StackerKen
22nd May 2010, 07:33 PM
yeah they grow and multiply fast...we need to get another set of drawers already

StackerKen
22nd May 2010, 07:41 PM
found this from a quick search
.................................................. ...............................

Egg Stage
The female darkling beetle lays hundreds of eggs at a time. The larva stage of the beetle emerges from these eggs when they hatch.
Larva Stage
The beetle looks the most worm-like during this part of the lifecycle. Mealworm larvae eat a great deal and develop into pupa. The mealworm sheds its skin several times as it grows. This stage takes from 4 days to a little over 2 weeks to complete.
Pupa Stage
The pupal stage is similar to the cocoon stage of the lifecycle of the butterfly. The pupa does not move during this time. The pupa stage usually lasts 2 to 3 weeks. If the metamorphosis takes place over the winter, an adult beetle may not emerge for 9 months.
Adult Stage
The pupa stage ends and a fully adult darkling beetle emerges from the pupa's "cocoon." The mealworm beetle's skin turns a dark brown color. The adult beetle lives for several more months.
.................................................. .............................................

My wife is taking more pictures.....LOL

We both can't believe how fast they are growing and multiplying!

Really easy to do and they don't smell bad or anything

StackerKen
22nd May 2010, 08:05 PM
Post some of your favorite recipes too EE :D


Mealworm Spaghetti

From Man Eating Bugs: The Art and Science of Eating Insects, by Peter Menzel and Faith D'Alusio.

1/2 pound roasted yellow mealworms
4-1/4 cups water
1 tablespoon safflower oil
1 sprig marjoram
1 sprig thyme
2 bay leaves
1/4 onion, chopped
8 ounces dry spaghetti
6 to 8 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
Olive oil
3 to 4 tablespoons pine nuts, finely chopped
10 sprigs parsley, finely chopped
1/2 pound purple basil, finely chopped
1/2 pound ricotta cheese
1/4 cup whole pine nuts
Boil water; add safflower oil, salt, marjoram, thyme, bay leaves, and onion. Add spaghetti. Drain when done. Melt butter in saute pan. Add spaghetti. Salt and pepper to taste. Mix basil, parsley, ricotta, oil, and chopped pine nuts with the spaghetti. Heat but do not boil. Top with mealworms and whole pine nuts.

StackerKen
22nd May 2010, 08:05 PM
Chocolate Mealworm Chip Cookies
Yield: 1 Serving

Ingredients

2 1/4 c Flour
1 ts Baking soda
1 ts Salt
1 c Butter; softened
3/4 c Sugar
3/4 c Brown sugar
1 ts Vanilla
2 Eggs
1 bag Chocolate chips - (12
-oz)
1 c Chopped walnuts; (optional)
1/2 c Dry-roasted mealworms

Instructions

To prepare dry-roasted mealworms, first drop them in boiling water for one
minute. Next, drain them on a paper towel. Finally, bake mealworms at 200
degrees for one to two hours, depending on the size. When cooked,
mealworms can easily be crushed with a spoon.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a
large bowl, combine butter, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla. Beat until
creamy. Beat in eggs. Gradually add flour mixture and insects, mixing
well. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts (optional). Drop by rounded
teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for eight to ten minutes.

StackerKen
22nd May 2010, 08:08 PM
Mealworm French Fries
Marc Dennis of "Insects Are Food"
Serves as a side dish for multiple people
Mealworms can be purchased live, canned or freeze-dried from any number of suppliers. They are relatively easy to keep until you use them in a recipe.
As for their nutritional information, one mealworm contains 10.63 percent protein, 3.1 percent fiber, 420 parts-per-million calcium and 10.01 percent fat.
Mealworms, if live, should be placed in the freezer for about an hour to put them to sleep and then boiled for one minute. Then they are ready for inclusion in a recipe.
INGREDIENTS
• 4 U.S. grade No. 1 fresh potatoes (Idaho potatoes)
• 2 dozen mealworms, boiled but not roasted
• 1 cup chopped scallions
• 0.5 teaspoon smoked salt
DIRECTIONS
Cut and slice potatoes into preferred style, such as shoestring, etc. Keep the skin on to enhance the homemade appearance and flavor.
If you prefer to peel your potatoes, keep in mind that fries made from peeled potatoes should be chilled after cutting in cold water for 10 minutes to 30 minutes before frying, to ensure maximum crispiness and to prevent them from sticking together while frying.
Deep fry potatoes, mealworms and scallions together for 3 minutes in proper temperature oil. The oil is the proper temperature when the fries don’t sink when dropped in and bubbles remain on top of the oil. Always use clean oil to fry potatoes.


Read more: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/32113074/ns/today-today_food_and_wine/#ixzz0oibOzCmI

gunDriller
23rd May 2010, 05:42 AM
i tried raising mealworms.

they died.

boy did that smell.

still not sure what i did wrong. i had them in a big plastic tub and fed them food scraps.

StackerKen
23rd May 2010, 04:05 PM
i tried raising mealworms.

they died.

boy did that smell.

still not sure what i did wrong. i had them in a big plastic tub and fed them food scraps.


was it warm enough for them?

Ideally keep at around 80°F (room temperature is fine too)

http://www.sialis.org/raisingmealworms.htm

EE_
24th May 2010, 03:57 PM
Okay, I moved up

http://i721.photobucket.com/albums/ww217/MaggiegirlEE/mealworms.jpg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tii5pBwNIgI

skid
25th May 2010, 11:16 PM
That's fairly yucky, and my wife wouldn't let me keep that any where in or near the house. I think I'll stick with the compost pile...

StackerKen
26th May 2010, 11:01 AM
EE;
My wife said its a good idea to Microwave what ever kind of "meal" you are giving them to kill the grain mites that may be in the meal.



Skid...it really isn't as yucky as it seems....there is no smell...

StackerKen
26th May 2010, 11:02 AM
[quote=EE_ ]
Okay, I moved up



EE yep...that will do nicely....for a while

zap
26th May 2010, 09:21 PM
Ya it is yucky ken, icky. :yuk

willie pete
26th May 2010, 09:33 PM
EE;
My wife said its a good idea to Microwave what ever kind of "meal" you are giving them to kill the grain mites that may be in the meal.



Skid...it really isn't as yucky as it seems....there is no smell...


Sounds repulsive though SK....

<no personal attacks- JQP>

Horn
26th May 2010, 10:56 PM
Think you could get a little creative & at least make like a guacamole dip with them, or something? :dunno

Large Sarge
5th June 2010, 04:31 AM
I tried that when I was a kid, I was really into reptiles/amphibians, figured it would save me a few bucks

I seem to remember they liked to eat oatmeal (am I wrong on that one?)

Anyway I do not remember feeding them food scraps, just oatmeal and water

been quite awhile

and no I never ate any mealworms, just my lizards, frogs, etc

I think the feeding them to chickens idea is very interesting

anyone else feed them to chickens???

StackerKen
5th June 2010, 09:25 AM
Sarge; We give them carrots and potatoes and other scraps for the water content.

I suppose they would like oatmeal. We feed them "lay mash" (powdered chicken food)

I gave a hand full to the chicks and mother hen the other day. They love em

EE_
5th June 2010, 09:46 AM
Mealworms are the number 1 prefered treat to chickens

RJB
5th June 2010, 09:55 AM
I'm glad this is about feeding mealworms to chickens.

I'm amazed when I see threads in prep sections about "how to raise earthworms and get the dirt out of them so they are edible." Just feed them to the chickens and eat the much more appetizing eggs.

Although Stacker had to ruin it with recipes :D, but I guess mealworms are a better survival cuisine than some stuff that I've seen posted in the past (including spam :o)

StackerKen
5th June 2010, 10:19 AM
lol

I don't plan on eating them...But they aren't dirty...and we know exactly what they eat.

So, If I was really hungry..I might eat em....or maybe not... :)

At the rate they are multiplying....we will have millions of them a year from now... :o

Might just have to sell them on ebay then. ;D

EE_
5th June 2010, 10:31 AM
lol

I don't plan on eating them...But they aren't dirty...and we know exactly what they eat.

So, If I was really hungry..I might eat em....or maybe not... :)

At the rate they are multiplying....we will have millions of them a year from now... :o

Might just have to sell them on ebay then. ;D


You could get a bunch of these and stop down at the local fishing hole every morning and sell them for bait.
http://www.bestbetinc.com/cups.jpg
$3.00 for 5 dozen

gunDriller
5th June 2010, 01:56 PM
lol

I don't plan on eating them...But they aren't dirty...and we know exactly what they eat.

So, If I was really hungry..I might eat em....or maybe not... :)

At the rate they are multiplying....we will have millions of them a year from now... :o

Might just have to sell them on ebay then. ;D


i would like to raise fish and i think it would work very well to feed them mealworms as part of their diet.

but i hesitate to experiment with this technology because i want to get my rent deposit back if i ever move. 8)

but - if i had a little more space - i'd get an used copy of the big galvanized containers they sell at farm supply places. it's what cow farmers use to load up with water. often the watering bowl will go near the big shade tree that the cows use. it's about 1000 gallons. i think that would be big enough for raising catfish or tilapia.

i suppose i could always go with a smaller tank and raise goldfish and then eat those.

what's the biggest fish you could raise healthy in about a 40 gallon tank ?


anyway, mealworms have an admirable ability to turn food scraps into fish-food. or human food, for the extremely brave. i never really managed to raise them but i used to buy boxes of 1000 to feed to pet lizards & with grand visualizations of raising them. i noticed the mealworms would just Hoover their way through whatever food scraps i gave them.