The Complete Mealworm Breeding Manual

Getting Started (Must Read)

Start Here!

photo of a commercial mealworm farm with multiple racks of blue mealworm trays. Mealworm farm is climatically controlled with an air conditioner, humudifier, ventilation fans and aluminium reflective insulation. Start Here (Must Read)

Safety

1.0 Introduction

Safety

Part 1-Videos

General Techniques

Currently only two videos are available (Heating, and Training to Wildlife Groups)

Once we do a revised version of the cricket book we will add more videos. Like our Facebook page for updates ( @breedinginsects)

Click here for Videos

Cricket Manual

Cockroach Manual

My Account

photo of a commercial mealworm farm with multiple racks of blue mealworm trays. Mealworm farm is climatically controlled with an air conditioner, humudifier, ventilation fans and aluminium reflective insulation.

Part 2- Breeding and Biology

Strategy and Overview (Essential Reading)

2.0 Design and Farm Overview (Both Species)

photo of a commercial mealworm farm with hundreds of blue trays in shelving. The front rows are pulled out so you can see the mealworms. 2.1 Design and Farm Overview

2.2 Breeding Mealworm Summary (Short and Sweet version)

2.3 Choosing the Right Species

2.4 Which Breeding Method do I Choose

2.5 How Many Mealworms can I Produce (Small Scale)

2.6 Trouble Shooting

Commercial

2.7 How Many Mealworms Can I Produce Commercially

2.8 Essential Tips for Breeding Mealworms Consistently (Commercial)

Coming Soon

2.9 Breeding Problems

2.10 Trouble Shooting

2.11 How Many Trays do I Need

Breeding Yellow Mealworms

3.0 Biology

mealworm 3.1 Life Cycle

3.2 Biology and Behavior

Coming Soon

3.3 Species

3.4 Anatomy

3.5 Lifecycle Timeline in Weeks

7.0 Filtering Method (Commercial/Hybrid)

In Draft- To be finalized with release of commercial version (Mid February).

7.1 Filtering Method Overview

7.2 Adjusting Tray Numbers

7.3 Filtering Method Management

7.4 Egg Management (Commercial)

Coming Soon

7.5 Screen Method- (Commercial)

7.6 Productive Breeding

Lets others know about our Free Video Training For Wildlife Groups. See the video section under “Training for Wildlife Groups” to view.

Breeding Giant Mealworms

8.0 Biology

8.1 Life cycle

8.2 Biology and Behavior

Coming Soon

9.0 Screen Method (Hobbyist)

Photo of giant mealworm pupa in compartments made from fishing tackle box and plastic cups. 9.1 Overview of Screen Method

9.2 Screen Method Management

10.0 Managing Beetles

photo of giant mealworm beetles on carton lifted above a breeding tray with pupa rearing box. The photos in the following sections use yellow mealworms, however the same principles apply to giant mealworms.

10.1 Beetle Densities

10.2 Beetle Demographics (Commercial)

11.0 Filtering Method (Commercial/Hybrid)

Coming Soon. Estimated by end of April

11.1 Filtering Method Overview

11.2 Filtering Method Management

11.3 Egg Management (Commercial)

A hand full of giant and yellow mealworms over two blue mealworm trays

Part 3- Husbandry Requirements (Both Species)

12.0 Housing (Trays, Shelving)

Trays

12.1 Choosing Mealworm Trays

12.2 Trays for Commercial Production (Commercial)

Shelving

12.3 Mealworm Shelving Options

12.4 Building Metal Shelving

13.0 Food and Water

Dry Food

13.1 Choosing a Substrate (Dry Food)

13.2 Storing Substrate

Wet Food

13.3 Wet Food (Vegetables)

13.4 Preparing Wet Foods

13.5 Feeding Regime

14.0 Climate (Temperature, Humidity etc)

Temperature

14.1 Temperature Requirements

14.2 Regulating Temperature

14.3 Insulating an Insect Farm (Commercial)

Heating

14.4 Heating Methods

Cooling

14.5 Cooling Methods

Ventilation and Circulation

Humidity

Electricity

14.10 Estimating Electricity Costs

14.11 Reducing Electricity Usage

14.12 Electricity consumption- 20 foot caravan (Commercial)

15.0 Maintenance

$Photo of filtering of mealworm frass. Four separate fractions are shown A) mealworms and frass from blue tray B) frass in white bucket C) substrate after filtering in white bucket D) filtered worms in blue tray, no substrate$ Filtering