Key Technical Points and Precautions for Raising Yellow Mealworms in Basins

    Raising yellow mealworms in basins is suitable for a production of 10 kg per month. It does not require a full-time keeper and can be done in spare time. The rearing equipment is simple and economical (such as old washbasins, iron boxes, wooden crates, etc.), as long as the container is intact, has no cracks or leaks, and has smooth inner walls so that the insects cannot escape by climbing out.

If the inner walls of the box are not smooth, a strip of adhesive tape can be applied around them to prevent the insects from escaping. In addition, one 60-mesh sieve is needed.

1. After obtaining the insect stock, first carry out careful selection, choosing individuals that are large, uniform, vigorous and bright in color, and raise them in dedicated basins. A container the size of an ordinary washbasin can raise 0.3-0.6 kg of larvae.

2. Put feed such as wheat bran and cornmeal into the basin, and at the same time put in the larval stock. The feed should be 10-20% of the insect weight. After 3-5 days, when the insects have finished eating the feed, sift out the insect frass with a 60-mesh sieve. Continue to add feed. Appropriately add some water-containing feed such as vegetables and melon and fruit peels.

3. When the larvae pupate, promptly pick out the pupae and store them separately. After 8-15 days, the pupae emerge as adults. Lay a sheet of newspaper on the bottom of the basin or box, then spread a layer of fine feed about 1 cm thick on the paper, and place the emerged adults on the feed. At 25°C, adults begin mating and laying eggs about 6 days after emergence. Yellow mealworms are gregarious insects, and mating and egg laying require a certain population density, with 1500-3000 insects per sq m of insect box. During the adult egg-laying period, feed a better-quality concentrated feed. In addition to mixed feed plus multivitamins, also add an appropriate amount of water-containing feed, such as vegetable leaves and melon and fruit peels.

4. When adults lay eggs, they extend the ovipositor beneath the feed and lay the eggs on the paper. After 3-5 days, when the egg paper is covered with eggs, it should be replaced with new egg paper. Collect the removed egg paper and place it in a basin according to the same date, and wait for it to hatch. At a temperature of 24-34°C, it can hatch in 6-9 days. Newly hatched larvae are very soft and delicate, so try not to touch them with your hands to avoid injuring them.

5. Place the hatched larvae together for rearing. After 15-20 days, when the feed in the basin has been basically eaten up, the insect frass can be sifted out for the first time. Use a 60-mesh screen to sift out the frass. After that, sift out the frass once every 3-5 days, and at the same time feed once, with the amount fed based on being eaten up in 3-5 days.

Note: Feed vegetable leaves or melon and fruit peels 1 day before sifting out the frass, with the amount fed based on being completely eaten by the larvae overnight, or sift out the frass before feeding vegetable leaves and melon and fruit peels. The next day, pick out any uneaten vegetable leaves and melon and fruit peels as soon as possible. In summer, prevent excessive humidity inside the basin to avoid moldy feed and larval death.