Aussie Finch Forum

Has anyone had any success breeding mini-meal-worms?
I'm not talking about small meal-worms(yellow) , but the small lively brown ones (Tenebrio obscura ) which grow to about 15mm.
If so how do you go about it? The same as common meal-worms?
regards,
Woody

Gery Marantelli should be able to shed some light on this subject.

Woody,
Cant say that I have cracked the code but have dabbled with them. I got some off a guy that breeds woodies and mealies as they often live in the detritus of the cultures. They are low down the food chain often feeding on the remains of the other insect cultivated ie dead one and feacal matter. They can be foudn in huge numbers in and around chook farms and the stokpiled manure feeding on the wastes and are considered tobe a pest as they are linked with carrying parasites and disease in these farms. There are some internet papers on their culture that might come up if your prepared to trawl through the literature. I will try an find the article title I used to get me started and post the details for you. Essentially they are much the same as the mealies but will require higher humidities. I have not been successfull to the point of changing from mealies to them, but will keep going.

Peter Karsten had some info on breeding them in his convention notes

I have kept a colony going for the last 2 years awaiting something that might like to eat them but alas (NOT) I'm leaving the Philippines and so have never had the opportunity to use them. Natural humidity is high here (all leather shoes quickly become green suede unless they are kept with a dehumidifier). I’ve never sieved them and just let them turn over without synchronizing generations like my mealies. Like my mealies and super-worms I use the highest protein chicken starter crumbles as a substrate/food source. Beyond that I’ve got not much more to tell. I think Desert Birds might breed them – perhaps you could send a PM to him.

No i dont breed them but i buy a kilo once in awhile. I found they go through boom and bust, i bred heaps then they fade away.I sent a few to other breeders that go ok with mealworms and they reported the same thing. Funnily enough i purchase them from a live food breeder who doesnt try to breed them but they are a by product that they struggle to rid their mealworm cultures of.

Thank you guys, your info has been most helpful.
I particularly like the small size of the mini worms.
If I do manage to "break the code", I'll certainly let you know.

I also have been trying to breed these myself ,I have plenty of beetles but no worms,feeding them sliced carrots ,sliced broccoli stork,dried bread roll.
The guy I got my beetles off keeps his in an old fridge with a light globe for heat,he breeds plenty of worms so that may be the way to go

The latest in my quest to breed mini worms is that I made a small cupboard with runners that will take my breeding boxes.
I have installed a thermostat linked to ceramic heating globe set at 28 C.
Scored a computer fan from my son in-law, this runs constantly and draws in air from outside.
Warm air is vented into my fly-box, which sits on top of the "cupboard", killing two birds with the one stone.
To date, Yippee, I have small worms!

Sounds like quite a set up you have going, any chance of some pics?