How to Build a Mealworm Farm

If you’re interested in sustainable living and feeding your pets nutritious food, raising mealworms might be the perfect solution for you. Mealworms are an excellent food source for various pets, including chickens, fish, birds, and reptiles such as bearded dragons. Not only is it easier to raise them yourself, but it can also save you money compared to buying them from the pet store weekly. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the steps of creating your own self-sorting mealworm farm.

Why Raise Mealworms?

Before we dive into the building process, let’s take a moment to understand why mealworms are such a great option. Mealworms are rich in protein and can be a great dietary supplement for your pets. They are easy to care for and require minimal space, making them ideal for small homes or apartments. Additionally, they reproduce quickly, so once you have a stable colony, you’ll have a continuous supply of food for your pets.

Gathering Your Supplies

To start your mealworm farm, you’ll need a few essential supplies. Here’s a quick list of what you will need:

• Two storage totes (one shorter than the other)
• A lid for the totes
• Half-inch thick by one-and-a-half-inch pine wood
• Fine screen material
• A box cutter or handsaw
• Oats (for bedding)
• Old carrots or potatoes (for moisture)
• About 200 mealworms to start

Building Your Mealworm Farm

Now, let’s get into the step-by-step process of building your own self-sorting mealworm farm.

Step 1: Prepare the Totes

Start with your shorter storage tote. Flip it upside down and trace a rectangle on the bottom. This rectangle will be cut out to allow the mealworms to fall through later. Use a box cutter or handsaw to carefully cut out the rectangle. Ensure you leave about an inch of ledge all around the bottom for stability.

Step 2: Create a Wooden Frame

Next, take the half-inch thick pine wood and build a square frame that fits over the bottom of the tote. This frame will support the screen material you’ll place on top.

Step 3: Attach the Screen

Cut a piece of fine screen large enough to cover the frame and extend slightly over the edges. Staple the screen onto the frame securely. Make sure the staples are flush with the wood so that the mealworms can easily fall through.

Step 4: Assemble the Totes

Once the screen is in place, take the tote with the cut-out bottom and set it on top of the wooden frame. Secure it using screws to ensure no mealworms can escape. It’s important that your upper box fits snugly into the lower box.

Step 5: Drill Holes for Ventilation

Using a drill with a five-thirty-second drill bit, create holes about every half inch along the sides of both the upper tote and the lid. This will allow for proper ventilation, which is crucial for the health of your mealworms.

Step 6: Preparing the Substrate

Now it’s time to prepare the substrate. Fill the bottom tote with about an inch or an inch-and-a-half of oats. This will serve as bedding for the mealworms. You will also fill the top tote with oats, where the mealworm beetles will lay their eggs.

Step 7: Introduce the Mealworms

After setting up your farm, you can introduce your mealworms. Simply pour them into the top container. As they reproduce, the beetles will lay eggs, which will fall through the screen into the bottom tote, where they will develop into mealworms.

Caring for Your Mealworms

Mealworms are relatively low maintenance, but there are a few things to keep in mind to ensure they thrive:

• Keep the environment warm, ideally between 70-80°F.
• Provide moisture by adding pieces of carrots or potatoes every few days.
• Monitor for any signs of mold or decay in the bedding and replace as necessary.

Harvesting Your Mealworms

After a few weeks, you’ll notice that your mealworms have grown and multiplied. Depending on the size of your farm, you can start harvesting them for food. Simply scoop out the mealworms from the bottom tote. It’s recommended to leave some behind to continue the breeding cycle.

Rotating Your Totes

To ensure a consistent supply, consider rotating your upper and lower totes every month. This allows eggs to fall into the bottom tote while the beetles continue to reproduce in the top tote. After about a month, switch the top and bottom totes to maintain a healthy cycle of mealworm production

Conclusion

Building your own mealworm farm is a rewarding and cost-effective way to provide a nutritious food source for your pets. With just a few simple supplies and some basic knowledge, you can create a self-sorting farm that will yield hundreds of mealworms each month. So, gather your materials and start your journey into the fascinating world of mealworm farming!