I think the graham flour/brewer's yeast is the standard for research labs using these beetles, though they weigh the ingredients out.
I was told that after maybe 5-6 years, I should sieve the adults and big larvae out of the medium and discard the old medium. But so far, my "bugs" are healthy, and I haven't done that. I haven't used these beetles (only about a mm long) for fish food, but they should be as good as Pharoh ants, which aren't much bigger if any.
Re potting soil for worm medium: Most commercial potting soil contains fertilizers, usually pelleted, but sometimes crystalline. Such additives can be toxic to worms if they come in contact with them. Compost alone is better. Or a mixture of sawdust and compost, or even shredded newspapers. Commercial bedding medium is mostly composted sawdust.
Dave
David L. McNeely, Ph.D., Professor of Biology
Langston University; P.O. Box 1500
Langston, OK 73050; email: dlmcneely-in-lunet.edu
telephone: (405) 466-6025; fax: 405) 466-3307
home page http://www.lunet.edu/mcneely/index.htm
"Where are we going?" "I don't know, are we there yet?"
----- Original Message -----
From: Sajjad Lateef <sajjadlateef-in-yahoo.com>
Date: Wednesday, February 2, 2005 1:51 pm
Subject: NANFA-L-- Food for Grindal worms
>
> I am feeding Soy Protien powder to both grindal worms and
> flour beetles (mixed in with whole wheat flour and oats).
> And, yes, I sprinkle it over the surface. I should make a
> furrow in the soil surface and just put the food in that
> furrow.
>
> I'll try some dog food for the grindal worms.
> Any recommended brand and type?
>
> Martin: So you think those are spider eggs? I used some
> potting soil as a base for the bedding. The spiders or other
> contaminants may have come from the potting soil.
> I will try to harvest what worms I can and switch to
> clean, shredded newspaper and coffee grounds for bedding.
> I think that will be best.
>
> Sajjad
>
>
> =====
> --
> Sajjad Lateef e-mail: sajjadlateef AT yahoo DOT com
> Chicago
>
>
>
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