How to Raise Mealworms

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By mfahrney
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Growth cycle of a mealworm.

This ehow article is to teach you how to raise mealworms. Mealworms are a great protein source for birds, reptiles and fish. Some people even eat them, I haven't been that brave yet.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Ten gallon fish tank.
Screen lid for tank.
Oat bran or meal.
100 Mealworms.
Poultry feed.
Potatoes.

Step 1

Purchase your first set of mealworms.

FIRST:
Go to your local pet store and purchase 100 mealworms, this is a good number to get started with. If your local store does not carry them, you can order them through the mail.
Step 2

SECOND:
Set up a ten gallon fish tank that has a secure lid. This is not for the mealworms, this is in case you have children or curious animals. If you have a local feed store purchase oat bran for about .28 a pound. Pour about 3" of oat bran bedding into the tank. If you don't have a feed store you can use oatmeal 'old-fashion'.
Step 3

You will see the three stages of growth.

THIRD:
Put in potatoes for your mealworms so they have moisture. Sprinkle some poultry feed without antibiotics into your worm container so they have food. Also put in carrots, cabbage and other left overs. The healthier the worms the better the breeding will go. After awhile you will see three different types of insects in your tank. A mealworm, a pupae, and a beetle. These are the stages of a mealworms growth.
Step 4

You will be rewarded with many mealworms.

FOURTH:
Keep your tank clean. Pick out the used up vegetable hulls and sift out the dead worm skins and other dead objects. Throw these things into your compost bin. If you see that you have an over abundance of worms, pick some out and feed them to your fish, chickens, outside/inside birds and your reptiles. Your can not get any fresher then this. Plus this will save you a lot of money in the long run. Kids can also use this as a science project.