giant mealworms

[Buddha]

so bin breeding another species of beetle from the family tenebrionidae, this is a nz native, anyway here's the results , pen gives you a size gauge , nearly 3 times bigger than standard mealworms (tenebrio molitor).

[dattofish]

thats awsome!! how do ya do it!?

[Ira]

Those look like the nasty wee fellas that ate all my potatoes last year.

[disgustipated]

are you selling them?

[cleadus1]

do they reproduce as fast and as much as normal ones?

[Buddha]

there breeding slower but could be down to diet and temps

[dragonz1833]

Wish we had superworms

[Ira]

Those look like the nasty wee fellas that ate all my potatoes last year.

Yeah, wee fellas is totally a phrase I might use for them... :roll:

[alanmin4304]

Editor's choice?

[livingart]

wee fellas suit them :thup:

[henward]

Interesting.

do the beetles fly?

[dragonz1833]

we need superworms

[reptilez]

we need superworms

Are they allowed in nz, would be awesome if we can get some one day ..

[Buddha]

my worms are currently at 5cm but get to 7cm

beetles dont fly

[henward]

Are they allowed in nz, would be awesome if we can get some one day ..

No they are not

some have come in, but those peole got busted with them.

I heard a rumour, as far fetched as it is.

that mealworms and superworms were mixed up and now cannot be separated.

wonder if its true. some mealworms do look big and similar to superworms,

but i dont think they can cross breed.

[repto]

they won`t breed untill in the beetle anyway?what I have read on the net the superworms don`t pupate unless put under some form of stress?one site said something along the lines of locking a worm in a film canister for a week or 2 to make them change?

[Perpin]

they won`t breed untill in the beetle anyway?what I have read on the net the superworms don`t pupate unless put under some form of stress?one site said something along the lines of locking a worm in a film canister for a week or 2 to make them change?

This is true. I used to breed and sell them in SA. When the worms were full size I would put them in fishing tackle boxes, the ones with lots of little compartments. Each one would go in their own compartment with no food or water. I would place the tackle box with worms in a heated box. They would start to pupate within a week. It is almost as if they have to get to a point where they realise that there is nothing left to live for or do in there worm form and are forced in to the next stage of the cycle. The beetles are huge!

[Ruru]

I think what you have there is the false wireworm beetle. They are very common, often found under/within rotting wood or on trees at night. Do you raise them on the standard mealworm mix?

[Buddha]

yer there mimopeus opaculus, they do better in soil to be honest