Control methods for common diseases in mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) farming

1 Mite infestation Mite damage is prone to occur from July to September, and feed carrying mite eggs is the main cause of mite infestation. Therefore, mealworm feed should be stored sealed during this season, and rice bran, wheat bran, mixed coarse grain flour, and coarse cornmeal are best sun-dried for disinfection before feeding. Another point that cannot be ignored is that fruit peels, vegetables, and wild vegetables mixed into the feed must not be too wet, because the summer temperature is too high and easily causes spoilage. Insect feces and leftover food must also be removed promptly to keep the rearing box clean and dry. If the feed is found to carry mites, it can be moved into the sun and dried for 5 to 10 minutes (with the feed spread out flat) to kill the mites. A 1000-fold solution of 40% dicofol can also be sprayed on the rearing site, such as wall corners, rearing boxes, and feeding utensils, or sprayed directly on the feed, and the mite-killing effect can reach more than 80% to 95%. However, the best method is scientific insect rearing, which is an effective way to completely eliminate the occurrence of mite damage.

2 Dry-withering disease The symptoms of this disease are dryness and withering of the head and tail of the diseased insects, and in severe cases the whole body dries up and dies. The main causes are high temperature, dry air, and too little green feed in the feed. In the scorching hot summer, the rearing boxes should be placed in a cooler and more ventilated place, various vitamins and green feed should be supplemented in time, and water should be sprinkled on the ground to lower the temperature and prevent this disease.

3 Soft rot disease This disease mostly occurs in the plum rain season. The diseased insects move slowly, have reduced appetite, and produce fewer offspring; in severe cases, the insect body turns black, soft, and rotten, and then dies. The main causes are the humid air in the rearing site and injuries to the insect body caused by excessive force during difficult screening. After discovering this condition, the amount of green vegetables fed should be reduced immediately, the feces of diseased insects should be cleaned up, doors and windows should be opened for ventilation to disperse moisture, the temperature should be adjusted to a suitable level, and the softened and blackened diseased insects should be removed in time. Then 0.25 grams of chloramphenicol or oxytetracycline mixed with 250 grams of bean flour or cornmeal per box should be fed, and after the condition improves, switch back to feeding wheat bran mixed with green feed.

4 Natural enemies The natural enemies of mealworms include mice, ants, cockroaches, toads, chickens, ducks, geese, and dogs, and special attention and precautions should be taken when temporarily rearing them in courtyards.