Superworm breeding

[JacksJill]

I suspect there were some loose eggs in with your super worms that developed later. I wish it was that easy.

I have been trying to breed these beetles and it has taken quite some time to get even the small colony I have (20) they die off pretty quick and they dont pupate that fast, still have not seen any babies, going on 3 months now, and correct these worms need to be stressed out and by themselves in order to change to beetles, they are a social colony and won't change,it is almost impossible to breed these worms without pupating fist. horn worms change into moths and wax worms.

They pupate in separate containers because they are canabalistic and are helpless in that stage. Warmth makes them pupate faster. The beetles do better and lay more eggs if you keep them very warm.

 

[MSPINAZ1]

Can chams still eat them once they’re beetles?

Can chams still eat them once they’re beetles?

They dont like the taste of the darkling beetles.

 

[Rst_Cham]

I read that an easy way to get them to pupate is to put the large SW in the individual compartments of a tackle box, one per compartment...

 

[JoXie411]

I read that an easy way to get them to pupate is to put the large SW in the individual compartments of a tackle box, one per compartment...

Are the beetles easy to breed??

 

[JacksJill]

Mine do reasonably well in summer in a barely ventilated garage. Nothing happens during the winter.
You have to make it so the adults can't eat the eggs once they are laid or begin to hatch. I keep my beetles in a container with a screen bottom so the eggs and little supers can escape into a container below.

 

[Rst_Cham]

Are the beetles easy to breed??

I haven't done it because I just dont feed that many superworms but it looks like it's a pretty lengthy process.

 

[JacksJill]

It probably isn't worth the space they take up and given how cheap they are to buy. I don't feed many but the maintenance is low and my garage has room to spare for now.

 

[jamest0o0]

I've gotten them to breed in large amounts in one container. I have a bin probably about 1.5'x2' or so, a couple inches of substrate a thick piece of cork bark laying on the top, and temps kept around 80. Then I cut potatoes in half along with other random veggies and lay them across the top of the substrate. The worms drill into the bark and pupate while the beetles and smaller supers feed on the potatoes without bothering the pupaes.

 

[Thehippie]

I swear I cannot do beetles!!! they're so scary and they fly!!! mine pupated once and it scared me to death when I opened the container!!!

 

[JoXie411]

Almost a bioac

I swear I cannot do beetles!!! they're so scary and they fly!!! mine pupated once and it scared me to death when I opened the container!!!

wait what they fly? Never mind I’ll pass

 

[Peeps101]

I swear I cannot do beetles!!! they're so scary and they fly!!! mine pupated once and it scared me to death when I opened the container!!!

LOL

 

[Thehippie]

nvm they have fused wings they wont lol, but still theyre fast af!!! gave me a heart attack opening that container

 

[snitz427]

It’s possible, but I’ve moved the dust or whatever it is around a lot to put in their food and I’ve been noticing more and more tiny ones

I’m currently breeding them... the very large ones must morph into beetles to mate and lay eggs. It takes a long time to go from worm to beetle to egg so my guess is you had some small worms in there. Possibly could have had a few eggs in the mix but most likely you just overlooked them.

You should try to breed some if you have the patience to wait a few months! Its kinda fun! And I hate bugs! Lol

 

[JoXie411]

I’m currently breeding them... the very large ones must morph into beetles to mate and lay eggs. It takes a long time to go from worm to beetle to egg so my guess is you had some small worms in there. Possibly could have had a few eggs in the mix but most likely you just overlooked them.

You should try to breed some if you have the patience to wait a few months! Its kinda fun! And I hate bugs! Lol

Maybe I’ll try it next once I get there silk moths down

 

[snitz427]

Maybe I’ll try it next once I get there silk moths down

Ha! Im working on those now. Checking my eggs every 10 minutes... even though they arent supposed to hatch until the weekend lol (thanks @Spyro88 )

 

[Mis_chameleon]

If I put the biggest worms in something like a Dixie cup would that work? Or do I need something longer?

I put mine in a small

I suspect there were some loose eggs in with your super worms that developed later. I wish it was that easy.


They pupate in separate containers because they are canabalistic and are helpless in that stage. Warmth makes them pupate faster. The beetles do better and lay more eggs if you keep them very warm.

They are very close to the heat, what temp should they be at? This is my 1st attempt, dont know much about how long the cycle is really. Any help would be appreciated. I put them in separated small containers like the ones you get when asking for ketchup, then I put them in a dresser and leave them for about 2 weeks, some pupate faster than others, I also make sure to grab the biggest and fastest worms to pupate, the small ones take forever or just die off.