What do super and meal worms become?

[vtecgsr]

Do these become beetles after a while? If so, are there any pics of what they become? Sorry for the noob question, i was just wandering if i could buy some and keep them long enough to have some beetles to feed to my arachnids...

 

[nepenthes]

Beetles. Not sure what they look like so some pictures would be cool ill go look for some if i don't find any ill wait for some.

*hear is a link*

http://eny3005.ifas.ufl.edu/lab1/Coleoptera/Tenebrionid.htm

I believe super meal worms don't do any thing cause of how they grew they just wont turn into beetles?

 

[Vermis]

Superworms turn into beetles too*. I've got a few pupae right now for my second culture attempt, by following the excellent article further up these boards.
Although, like it says, you need to provide the right conditions. In a tub of cold bran they don't bother.

First page with photos I found: link.

Also, there's a recent topic here about how only a few critters will eat mealworm beetles. I think it's pretty much the same with superworm beetles.

*Unless you're thinking about hormone treated mealworms?

 

[vtecgsr]

Thanks for the replies. After some research i found it takes like months for them to turn into beetles. My local petstore just sucks, they dont even sell pinky mice. Im just tryin' to figure where i can get some cockroaches, beetles, or grasshoppers without spending like 20 dollars for a small bundle...

 

[bugmankeith]

How do you get them to pupate? Actually what I mean to say is, if I seperate them and put one each in a small paper bathroom cup, and keep the cups next to eachother, will they still pupate?

Do I put any substrate in, do they need moisture?

 

[Vermis]

I followed the example of Nixy in the article: cell box with dry coir. I also kept them in my heated tarantula cabinet, but I don't know if that's necessary.

 

[Wade]

If provided with rotten logs, Zophobas (AKA superworm) will pupate without all the trouble of splitting them up. Also, if you do spilit them up, I doubt a paper cup will contain them. I've seen them chew through fiberglass screen.

Beware of petstore names. Some petstores sell "giant mealworms" which are nothing more than regular mealworms that have been fed an insect growth regulator that prevents the insect from ever fully maturing, so it just grows without pupating. I would avoid feeding such an insect to any animal, especially an invertebrate.

When you buy "superworms" be sure you're getting Zophobas and not the "giant mealworms".

Wade

 

[bugmankeith]

Rotten logs. What type are good for them?

Oak,maple,pine,birch?

If they go into the rotting wood, do they eat it, or do they go in strictly to pupate?
How do you know if they pupated, if you can see them inside the wood?

 

[Vermis]

If provided with rotten logs, Zophobas (AKA superworm) will pupate without all the trouble of splitting them up.

Hm. I could think of a few comments, but I think I'll go with 'it might be a matter of opinion'.

 

[Stylopidae]

Never use pine for anything. Any non fragrant hardwood will work, most people prefer oak.

My next attempt will be on cocobark with a rotten log in the tub.

As for the matter of opinion, if you can't get rotten wood, then simulating a pupation chamber may be your best bet. However, if there's a stand of wood within 20 minutes of you, it's worth your time to find a rotting log.

 

[bugmankeith]

I've got a mini forest right around the block from me, with many trees, and it's filled with rotting wood, (loads of wood roaches too) that's why I asked.

They do eat bark right?

I'm keeping them just to see them turn into beetles, there not food for anything. I only have like 10.

 

[Wade]

Hm. I could think of a few comments, but I think I'll go with 'it might be a matter of opinion'.

You tell me what's easier, splitting them up into cups, or throwing in a log and forgetting about it? Splitting each generation into cups so you'll have the next next generation is a pain in the rear (in my opinion) if you've got a lot of critters to maintain. I've reared them for years this way, and at any given moment I can go to my culture bin and harvest larva of any size I need. I like low maitence feeders, not a situtation where I'll loose the whole culture if I fail to remember to split some larvae out.

Bugman Keith-

Any rotten hardwood should so. Avoid pine and other softwoods.

Wade

 

[Vermis]

Aha, the gauntlet is cast!

Splitting each generation into cups so you'll have the next next generation is a pain in the rear (in my opinion) if you've got a lot of critters to maintain. I've reared them for years this way

Mm. How many worms, and how many critters? Just so I know the situation.

The suggestion of a rotten log still isn't something I'd try, for a few reasons, but I can see where it would save time with a large collection.
One of those reasons is that I think seperation isn't a huge consideration in maintaining small-to-moderate collections - like mine. It takes barely a few minutes to grab the worms, throw them in the cell box, and 'forget about them'.
But then again I'm talking just 1-2 dozen worms, and let the rest on their merry, unpupating way - for now. I take it you pupate the entire generation? That would definitely take some time and effort.

 

[Wade]

At the moment I probably have about 50 adult tarantulas, a dozen or so larger immatures, and probably around 100 slings of various species. Then there's the dozen or so scorpions, 8 vinegaroons, 10 amblypigids, a few mantids, several dozen giant water bugs, hercules beetles, hundreds of millipedes...and then there's the herps. Currently, I maintain Zophobas, Tenbrio, 3 species of cockroach, and crickets as feeders and rotate between them, depending on size of animal etc being fed.

I mainly feed the Zophobas to the adult and larger immature tarantulas, although it's for variety. Most often, I feed them cockroaches.

I just leave the log in there and let them do there thing without interuption. The log sits on a base layer of peat and aspen mixed. One end is kept a bit moist, and dry food (like chick starter mash) is offered at the dry end.

I do recomend heat treating the rotten wood prior to use to get rid of unwated pests. I cook mine in a steamer. Now that might be inconvienent for some, making the cup method preferable. I have to do this all the time anyway for my hercules beetle grubs and my millipedes, so I have a tub of cooked wood lying around all the time.

Wade

 

[bugmankeith]

In case anyone see's this immedietly, are Aspen trees are the one's that have white,peeling bark?

 

[arachnocat]

Yep. There's some at the park and they're white and peely alright.