Mugwump's Fish World

General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: LizStreithorst on March 18, 2018, 02:15:15 PM

Title: My other breeding project
Post by: LizStreithorst on March 18, 2018, 02:15:15 PM
I feel very silly to be enjoying my meal worm cultures so much.  I give them to the chickens and the wild birds.  The Chickens go crazy for them.  Blue Birds like them, Cardinals like them and sparrows like them.  The Tit Mice and Chickadees ignore them.

I started with 2000 worms from Ebay.  Now I have 5 big cultures going!  I love it what I see the substrate moving because it is so full of worms.  What a strange thing to enjoy. 

Here are pictures of  my worms.  The beetles lay eggs which are tiny.  They hatch out the eggs hatch out as teeny tiny meal worms that you can't even see.  They shed their exoskeleton many times before they reach their feeding age size.  The big ones that I don't find and feed turn into larvae which continue to transform themselves into beetles.
It's not as dramatic as the change from caterpillar but it's pretty cool to see it happen almost in front of my eyes.
Title: Re: My other breeding project
Post by: Mugwump on March 18, 2018, 02:51:57 PM
Quote from: LizStreithorst on March 18, 2018, 02:15:15 PM
I feel very silly to be enjoying my meal worm cultures so much.  I give them to the chickens and the wild birds.  The Chickens go crazy for them.  Blue Birds like them, Cardinals like them and sparrows like them.  The Tit Mice and Chickadees ignore them.

I started with 2000 worms from Ebay.  Now I have 5 big cultures going!  I love it what I see the substrate moving because it is so full of worms.  What a strange thing to enjoy. 

Here are pictures of  my worms.  The beetles lay eggs which are tiny.  They hatch out the eggs hatch out as teeny tiny meal worms that you can't even see.  They shed their exoskeleton many times before they reach their feeding age size.  The big ones that I don't find and feed turn into larvae which continue to transform themselves into beetles.
It's not as dramatic as the change from caterpillar but it's pretty cool to see it happen almost in front of my eyes.

....pics  huh
Title: Re: My other breeding project
Post by: LizStreithorst on March 18, 2018, 03:06:05 PM
I always forget to attach the pics ::)
Title: Re: My other breeding project
Post by: Mugwump on March 18, 2018, 03:11:00 PM
..nice cultures....does your resident fish room frog like 'em too... huh
Title: Re: My other breeding project
Post by: LizStreithorst on March 18, 2018, 03:31:37 PM
I think that the outer shell is too hard for a frog.  A hen came in once when I'd set the container of beetles on the floor.  The bitch ate every one.  Thankfully more larvae hatched out to replace them so the culture kept going without skipping a beat.
Title: Re: My other breeding project
Post by: Mugwump on March 18, 2018, 06:07:05 PM
Quote from: LizStreithorst on March 18, 2018, 03:31:37 PM
I think that the outer shell is too hard for a frog.  A hen came in once when I'd set the container of beetles on the floor.  The bitch ate every one.  Thankfully more larvae hatched out to replace them so the culture kept going without skipping a beat.

..oh ok...I thought maybe he'd go for the larva...... huh
Title: Re: My other breeding project
Post by: LizStreithorst on March 18, 2018, 06:14:42 PM
that's possible.  it hasn't happened yet.
Title: Re: My other breeding project
Post by: Mugwump on March 18, 2018, 06:17:23 PM
.... :)  did you ever name him ?
Title: Re: My other breeding project
Post by: LizStreithorst on March 18, 2018, 06:23:42 PM
I don't think it's the same frog every time.  I suppose it could be.  I know that it is the same breed of frog.  I recognize them by their voice,