Easy

  Reference Sheet
 
Breeding  Mealworms    
 
 
 
 

The  following  is  a  guide  to  one  method  of  farming  and  preparing  mealworms  prior  to  coating  and  feeding  to  wildlife.    
Mealworms   are   extraordinarily   expensive   to   buy   and   are   often   difficult   to   source,   so   establishing   your   own  
mealworm  farm  is  a  very  good  idea.    

Breeding  Process    
The  mealworm  lifecycle  is  as  followed:    

• Eggs  (1-­‐2  weeks)    

• Mealworm  (10  weeks)    
• Pupa  (1-­‐2  weeks)    
• Beetle  (2-­‐3  months)    

Equipment    
Equipment/  Materials  needed:    
• 4-­‐5  Tubs  or  a  set  of  4-­‐5  drawers  used  to  store  mealworms  at  different  developmental  stages.  The  base  of  the  
top  draw  should  be  carefully  cut  out  with  a  Stanley  knife  and  a  fine  mesh  (e.g.  fly  screen  mesh)  glued  in  its  
place  with  a  glue  gun  or  equivalent.    
• Sieves  /  sifter    
• Tweezers    
• Medium  –  see  below  for  the  different  mediums  for  the  different  drawers.    
 
Start  with  a  handful  of  mealworms,  leave  them  in  wheat  bran  /  pollard  medium  for  a  few  weeks  and  allow  them  to  
develop   into   pupae   and   then   beetles.   Once   pupae   and   then   beetles   have   developed   you   can   commence   the  
breeding  program.    

Drawer  Set-­‐up    
In  the  4-­‐5  drawer  unit,  the  top  drawer  with  the  mesh  base  is  where  the  beetles  are  stored.  The  beetles  lay  eggs  in  
the   medium   which   then   fall   into   the   second   draw.   The   third   draw   is   to   grow   up   small   mealworms   and   the   fourth  
drawer   is   for   further   growing   up   and   prepping   mealworm   for   consumption.   The   fifth   draw   if   you   have   one,   is   for  
storing  mealworms  to  allow  them  to  turn  to  pupae  and  then  to  beetles,  after  which  they  are  transferred  into  the  top  
draw.   Alternately   you   can   just   leave   a   handful   of   mealworms   aside   in   a   small   container   which   will   eventually   turn   to  
pupae  then  beetles  
 
DRAWER   1   -­‐   Beetle   Drawer   -­‐   The   beetle   drawer   is   the   top   drawer.   It   needs   to   have   the   base   cut   out   carefully   with   a  
Stanley  knife  and  then  a  layer  of  mesh  (insect  screen)  heat  glued  across  the  base.  The  beetle  draw  medium  is  natural  
whole   rolled   oats   with   vegetables   (see   list   below)   placed   on   a   plastic   dish   for   extra   nutrients.   The   beetle   eggs   fall  
through   the   mesh   into   the   second   drawer.   A   container   of   water   that   is   tall   and   inaccessible   to   the   beetles   can   be  
placed   into   the   drawer   in   times   of   very   dry   weather.   More   eggs   will   be   laid   when   there   is   some   humidity   in   the  
drawer.   In   the   event   that   you   are   using   tubs   as   opposed   to   drawers,   the   beetles   can   be   placed   in   wheat   bran   /  
pollard  mix  and  after  a  month  or  so  rotated  to  a  new  tub  to  allow  the  initial  tubs  egg  harvest  to  hatch  and  grow  on.    
 
DRAWER   2   -­‐   Egg   Hatching   Drawer   –   The   egg   hatching   /   baby   mealworm   drawer   medium   can   be   either   pollard  
(preferred)  or  wheat  bran  with  vegetables  placed  on  a  plastic  dish.  Once  tiny  baby  mealworms  are  visible  (about  a  
month)  move  the  drawer  or  the  contents  of  the  drawer  to  the  level  below  (growing  up  drawers).  Set  up  the  drawer  
again  to  catch  the  next  batch  of  eggs.    
 
 

 
 
  
Easy Reference Sheet
Breeding  Mealworms  (continued)  

 
DRAWER  3  -­‐  Small  Mealworm  Growing  up  Drawers  –  Medium  can  be  either  pollard  
(preferred)   or   wheat   bran   with   vegetables   placed   on   a   plastic   dish.   Food   must   be  
available   constantly   to   grow   the   worms   up   quickly.   Once   the   mealworms   are   of  
medium  size,  move  them  to  the  next  drawer  for  final  prepping  and  gut  loading.    
 
DRAWER   4   -­‐   Medium   to   Large   Mealworm   Prepping   /   Gut   loading   Drawer   –   The  
mealworms   spend   their   last   two   weeks   (minimum)   acquiring   the   most   amount   of  
nutrients   as   possible   so   that   they   are   as   healthy   as   possible   for   the   wildlife   that  
consume   them.   This   can   either   be   done   by   adding   extra   vegetables   in   addition   to  
blended  chick  starter  granules  (60%  by  volume),  Wheat  Bran  (38.5%  by  volume)  and  
Calcium   Carbonate   Powder   (Balanced   Calcium®)   (1.5%   by   volume)   OR   Wheat   Bran  
(50%  by  volume)  and  the  new  Passwell  Product  ‘Insect  Booster’®  (50%  by  volume).    
 
DRAWER   5   -­‐   Pupae   Development   Drawer   or   Container   –   ¼   inch   wheat   bran   or  
pollard   is   all   that   is   required.   No   food   needs   to   be   provided   as   you   want   the  
mealworms  to  pupate  quickly.  Transfer  the  beetles  to  the  beetle  drawer  as  soon  as  
they  appear.    
Photo  Right:  
A  mealworm  farm  utilising  plastic  drawers,    
one  of  the  many  methods  of  mealworm  husbandry.  
 
Other  pointers:    
• Generally  the  warmer  the  temperature,  the  faster  the  lifecycle  of  the  mealworm.  Excess  mealworms  can  be  
stored   in   the   fridge   to   slow   their   metabolism   so   that   they   do   not   develop   quickly.   If   storing   in   the   fridge  
remove  every  two  weeks  for  a  couple  of  days,  to  allow  them  to  rehydrate  and  feed.  
• Foods   that   can   be   added:   potato,   pumpkin,   carrots,   cabbage,   lettuce,   sweet   potato,   wholegrain   bread.   Most  
fruits   create   mould   too   quickly   and   should   be   avoided.   Make   sure   the   food   does   not   touch   the   bedding   or   it  
will  cause  the  bedding  to  rot  and/or  get  mouldy.  Put  it  on  a  plastic  lid.    
• Mealworms   prefer   the   dark   and   should   be   kept   out   of   direct   sunlight.   However,   studies   have   shown   that  
mealworms  develop  faster  when  provided  with  some  light.  You  can  leave  the  mealworm  growing  up  drawers  
permanently  half  pulled  out.    
• Check  your  farm  every  few  days  and  remove  any  dead  beetles/pupae/worms.  Replace  the  bedding  once  it  
begins  to  look  grainy  (this  is  mealworm  excrement),  if  it  gets  mouldy  or  if  it  smells.    
 
 

Photo  Left:    
Sieving  mealworms  from  the  medium  to  prepare  to  feed  to  wildlife.      
 
 
 
References:    Introduction  to  the  Care  and  Rehabilitation  of  Microbats  (R  Lyons  &  T  Wimberley  –  Wildcare  Australia  Inc).    Photos:    R.  Lyons