What conditions and requirements are needed for mealworm farming?

The mealworm is also called the breadworm. Its fat and protein content is extremely high, and it is a major feed source for raising poultry and a whole series of other special livestock such as fish, turtles, scorpions and centipedes, so it can create relatively high economic returns for farmers. In addition, its farming conditions are simple, which has attracted many people to raise it, but they do not understand what requirements are needed to raise it. Below, come to Qinnongwang to see the mealworm farming condition requirements.

1. Feeding equipment requirements

Mealworm farming sites are diverse; cardboard boxes, basins and vats, and cement pools can all be used, but the surroundings of the farming site must be smooth and more than 15cm deep. This is to prevent the mealworms from escaping. What is more convenient to manage is raising them in a square wooden box or wooden crate. Make a square wooden box 1 m long, half a meter wide and 15cm high, line the inner walls with adhesive paper, and nail the bottom tightly, and a simple farming box is ready. In addition, some tools must be prepared, such as feeding tools and stirring tools.

2. Temperature requirements

The mealworm is a relatively cold-tolerant insect. Adults can withstand a low temperature of minus two degrees, but larvae will die in large numbers in a zero-degree environment. The lowest temperature for raising larvae must not be lower than two degrees. They begin to grow and develop at 10 degrees. When the temperature is lower than 8 degrees, they enter hibernation. The suitable growth temperature is 25-30 degrees, and they grow fastest in a 32-degree environment, but a temperature above 30 degrees easily causes disease. And above 32 degrees they will be directly killed by heat. Therefore, attention must be paid to temperature control during raising. During raising, the colony temperature will be about 10 degrees higher than the outside environment temperature. For example, if the outside temperature is 15 degrees, the temperature inside the farming box can reach 26 degrees, so pay attention to this point. Especially during high summer temperatures, cooling measures must be done well.

3. Humidity requirements

The mealworm is a relatively drought-tolerant species and can survive in an environment with a water content below 10%, but in an overly dry environment it grows slowly or stops growing, wasting a large amount of feed. The most ideal water content is 15%, and the humidity is 50%-80%. Exceeding this standard very easily causes disease and slow growth. When the farming environment is too dry, humidification can be carried out, and when the humidity is too high, ventilate in time to reduce the humidity.

4. Light requirements

The mealworm is originally a pest in warehouses. It is naturally afraid of light and active, and it is active both day and night, so it does not need light at all. In addition, female worms also lay more eggs in a dark environment, so to expand the farming scale, keeping the farming site dark is necessary.

5. Feed requirements

Feed determines the growth of mealworms. The feed sources for mealworms are extremely wide, including wheat bran, cornmeal, soybean cake, carrots, vegetable leaves, melon and fruit peels, etc., but generally to make them grow quickly, wheat bran is mainly used, with melons, fruits and vegetables as a supplement. A balanced mix of various feeds promotes the growth of mealworms. Generally, the proportion of wheat bran is about 60%-80%.

The above are the mealworm farming condition requirements brought to you by Qinnongwang. We hope it can help you. To learn more about mealworm farming knowledge, please keep following Qinnongwang.