I agree! It’s short too. The thing that I hate about some other UA-camrs is that they will give their entire life story then give like a quarter of the information needed but have the video like 25 minutes long instead of 5.
I agree too. Great video presentation. There are some details that could have been added, but if all you care about is replicating what he made for mealworms, this video is perfect for that. I personally recommend adding Hot Glue to seal gaps to make sure they can't get in areas of the screen you don't want them, but this is a personal preference, not a mistake in design. Also, i guess you could use a re-enforced hardware cloth under the screen if you plan on adding excessive weight on top, but that will trap more things, so it's better to keep the beetle section light-weight.
Fusion Developer Any tips on the specific screen and specific bins? (I’m having a tough time finding bins with the same perimeter dimensions with varying depths.)
Man, ive watched at least 12 different videos on building a meal worm setup, this is the ONLY one that got straight to the point, didnt have any shaking camera work that made me feel like was suffering a Parkinsons episode and i didnt hear you sniff once! ( why do ppl with colds make videos ffs?) ..Good onya Ninjineer! Top shelf!
Mealworm raising can cause allergic reactions. Another problem is that a lot of people doing mealworms that make videos, are not caring to put in the effort to make a good video, because they only care to upload the information so that it is available. Basically "I want people to know what I did", rather than a well defined tutorial. Some of the people making those videos, are not dedicated youtube video makers. It's a "something is better than nothing" approach. Good videos take a lot of effort or a lot of video-making practice.
I’ve been raising mealworms for almost a year and labored over keeps shelves and shelves and shelves organized. This is the first system that I’ve found can make my job so much easier. Thank you so much!
I've got my 3rd month of mealworms started using your method. Having a great time explaining it to people and showing of my worms. Thanks for a really good video.
We harvested our first lot of meal worms today :D The chickens love them. They're so fat and healthy. So are the meal worms. I didn't realise we had a second generation in the top tub. This system works so wonderful. thank you so so much
@@sarahandemmalemoignan9449 Thanks for making this comment, it seemed so easy I was skeptical of if it would really work. Definetly gonna ask my dad to build it now, my beardie seems pretty excited watching the video with me.
Your addition of the wooden frame makes the world of difference and i can't wait to follow your example. I tried the drawers with glued in mesh and the worms could climb out and get stuck behind the mesh etc. Then I bought a small kit but quickly outgrew it. Your solution is neat and simple. Thanks so much.
If anyone doesn't have a drill to poke the holes, you can use a nail heated in the flame of a gas stovetop to melt a hole through the plastic very quickly. I've done this before because I don't have a drill. Be very careful though, wear an oven mitt, the nail is very very HOT!
Done eight years ago and to this day it is STILL the most complete, concise video on how to raise mealworms. I was about to give up. Thank you so much for as everyone has said, the best video for raising mealworms! 🙏
If you're looking for another easy protein source for your chickens. Drill holes in a bucket along the bottom and about an inch up the sidewalls. Then hang it from a shepherd's hook or tree branch away from your house. Throw meat scraps or roadkill in the bucket. Flies will lay their eggs and maggots will fall through the holes.
I've been wanting to do this for a while per my wife's request. This is going to save me a ton of money, and make my fowl super fat and happy! Thanks for the video! I'm going to go make one right now!
Thank you. I've watched a few mealworm videos and this is by far both the most succinct and the most immediately informative. Six minutes all in. Great job; well done. You have my vote.
Thank you so much!!! I was hand picking the baby worms from the bottom and it was a PAIN, now with this I can just sit back and relax and let my mw's do there stuff! I'm subscribing just because I'm going to save so much time
I am in agreement with others that this is a really well made DIY video. Lots of information with minimization of the banal stuff, like drilling, cutting, stapling, etc. Thanks for sharing!
I've watched many videos on how to start a mealworm farm, and so far, this is the best explination so far. Well done explaining each step and then showing it!
Thank you so much! I've been watching videos on how to raise meal worms and reading comments on how to separate them during all stages and was about to give up because it seemed like it would take up too much time an space. Then I came across your easy to understand setup. Headed to the store now! Keep up the great work!
I found these containers at Target, they are Hefty brand “Hi-Rise” model, 32 quart and 18 quart. The 18 fits nicely into the 32. One word of caution, they do crack easily when cutting them (drilling was no problem). I used a dremmel type cut off wheel on a drill to cut the rectangular hole. I will start my farm tomorrow!
Just chiming in if you don't have a dremel, so long as your careful you can use a old knife heat it with fire stove or bbq and melt right through! Wear gloves and glasses lol. Also knife will be trash afterwards! Like rick said they crack if you put force and slash!
Great plan. You explained it well. Good presentation. No irritable comments like..."the beetles get together and well they khawham ha ha" No irritatiog fillz-ns which nobody listens to. GOOD JOB! GOOD INFORMATION!
I'm new at raising mealworms, (having bought them for years, I've decided to try my hand at raising them.). I kept hearing the mesh method bor separating the beetles from the eggs but couldn't find the actual directions. Your video was excellent and showed exactly how it's done. Thanks!
Excellent video, you did not waffle, you got straight to the point, the video was clear and your instructions faultless, well done. Most instructional videos I sit there and get so impatient screaming at the screen telling them to hurry up, or shut and get to the point, we don't care what the weather is like outside at your house or how cute your dog is watching you arrgghh!!!! I'm starting a meal worm farm for my chickens down under in NZ, thank you for this very professional tutorial!
Awesome tutorial video, just built one, but instead of building the wooden frame, i found a picture wood frame at Walmart that fit the one inch area just right.
Does the wood that you use have to be pine? I'm not sure if you still use this channel, but this is the best video I have seen for a step by step tutorial on how to make a mealworm farm.
Here's my trick to get them to start changing. I take a flat pan and put one-quarter inch of dry oatmeal in it. Then I sprinkle the adult worms, like a 50 cup from the pet store, all over the oatmeal. Then I take a squirt bottle full of pure water on the Mist setting, and spray it eight to ten times, from about a foot away, so that just the surface of the oatmeal and the worms get a nice little drenching, like Dew in the morning. Not enough to soak the oatmeal all the way to the bottom. The bottom half of the oatmeal should be dry if you move it around with your finger a little. Wetting the oatmeal makes the worms Chow Down and pack their bellies with food. This helps them begin metamorphosis. Then I leave it in a quiet place open to the air, and within a day or two, you will begin seeing them starting to pupate. Check the oatmeal now and then and when it gets completely dried out, spray it the exact same way. When you get the white pupae, transfer them to a dry container with just oatmeal and no water so that they can transform in peace without getting wet rot. Leave a ball of wet paper towel in there for moisture but do not soak the oatmeal. They will turn into beetles in no time.
I think 🤔 you tips are great and make sense. I want something easy to maintain because I have way too many shores to do . I has been trying multiple times to grow mealworms and always has been a failure because after adding slices of apple or carrots it ends getting mold and my meal worms all of them die 😫😫😫😫. What is the easiest setting for meal worm you recommend me? Please help me, I really need to grow my meal worms 😨!!! I am very thankful for you help.
@@queilyyenner6399 If your worms are getting mold you do not have good air flow, I'd also recommend not spraying oatmeal because it molds very quickly when wet, use fresh veg/fruit or even bug gel in a dish. I'd also recommend not using this guide aswell because its actually more work then just sifting, it isnt self sorting by any means the only thing its doing is allowing the eggs to drop down. You still need to sort the fresh pupa and beetles from the eggs/larva.
Great video! In less than 6 minutes you showed me your design and you didn't make me watch you cut or staple. Good job man. If the rest of your videos are simple and to the point, I'll be a happy camper. Thanks for sharing.
Pretty good video. Thanks for taking time to do a show and tell on the building the bins. I would like to use more shallow bins so it doesn't end up taking up so much space. But that is for everyone to tweak to their own liking . This was well done. Thanks. Jesus bless.
we just got our order of meal worms today you did an excellent job and we are going to try the self sort tub idea also! thank you for posting and keep up the great videos
Excellent! Freeze like I do with bulk flours! My neighbor gave me a huge container of poop. Brilliant~I was concerned of eggs going into my outdoor organic garden. Been a CSLB Landscape Contractor back into 90's. Pro-organic with my garden, though have not Pro worked much for yrs. Thank you! Happy gardening!
Hi, I've just built your mealworm farm and it's by far the best system (and video) out there. I understand the breeding cycle and the need to rotate the beetles over the 'nurseries' every three weeks or so. Do you keep one cycle of mealworms to continue the growing/breeding cycle? If not, at what point do I reserve mealworms to maintain the breeding beetle population? Awesome instructional by the way.
I've seen other videos about this, and a few recomment that you buy some new beetles every now and then to avoid inbreeding. Inbreeding apparently causes that they stop breeding, and I think there was one or two more things to it, but I don't remember right now because of the green stuff I smoked. 😁
Young man, a good food for thought, no padding, no waffle, to the point video. Info duly noted in my mealworm notepad and onto the next video if needed for further in depth info. Always willing to see different ideas on doing jobs, Way to go - thank you.
WOW! Very impressed. Easy instructions. Thank you. :) I started a red worm farm as well a few months ago. Doing well with that. The red worms and the meal worms are for food source for my 'all-natural' chickens food source. Its crazy expensive for meal worms! So, I'll sell some as well. Great video!
Wow! This was such a creative video and I loved the idea of this. Also, the clips were very nicely taken and everything was very well edited. Great tutorial! I can tell a lot of effort went into creating this
So I did build it just like yours. Cuz I used to ALWAYS have the issue of taken the meal worms out n not the beetles and vice versa. A damn pain in the ass. But wit your little invention here I aint had to worry about it at all. Not a single beetle has been in the bottom so when the MW pupate I dont have to worry bout the beetles eating them. Which was a major issue for me before. So I THANK YOU VERY MUCH!! You helped me out ALOT!! Oh also I did a tiny upgrade to yours that made it perfect. I went and got a few different sizes of screen and used the one thats big enough for large meal worms to go thru BUT not the beetles. It works PERFECTLY as I have yet to see even ONE MW in the top with the beetles. Just thought I would give you that lil tip since you helped me out WAY more then you know. TYVM yet again
I want to express my gratitude on the BEST video on youtube. I went through so many and got frustrated until I found yours. You were very thorough but respectfully gave us time to really understand just how to put this together. Thank you so much!!! ❤
How long do the beetles live for? I'm assuming you have to put some mealworms or pupae in the top to keep the breeding stock up; how often do you have to do that?
I loved this video. So helpful. Looks like the best way to start a nice little farm. Thank you! I just went out and bought my tubs. When I re-watched the video to check how often to rotate top tub, I hear you say get 200 meal worms... I ordered 1000! haha here we go!!!
Excellent Mr. Ninji, You have done a great job encouraging others with your presentation. There's no telling how far and where your talent will take you if this is any indication. God Bless.......
I remember raising a mealworm in first grade 😂 it was so fun and I was surprised to find a beetle and a mealworm in my container because idk who it bred with 😂
Excellent ideas!! Thank you so much. My husband and I are doing this now, and because we are total nerds, we each have our own mealworm farm and are competing. He has a ton of pupae, but I just got my first 2 beetles, so I may be in the lead so far, LOL. He's keeping his in a heated space and uses wheat bran. Mine is at room temp using oatmeal. He found an idea elsewhere to keep the pupae safe from beetles while keeping it simple...place a small box or table-shaped item in the beetle container, and keep your pupae on there. Once the beetles hatch, they walk off and fall into the food below, so it's self-sorting! We hot-glued wooden legs onto a plastic scrap, and it works great!
hahaha! I love it! That sounds awesome! I actually tried my own version of the table and it didn't work out too well for me. Sounds like I need to give it another go! Best of luck to you! I hope you kick his butt! haha! :)
I actually had the same thought. I think a lot of people who played Minecraft growing up are going to end up as real life permaculture farmers. Using the output of one system to feed into another, which feeds into another, and all the while taking out human-useful products.
Thank you, Ninjineer :) I'm a grandma on limited income. I am wanting to get a few laying hens for fresh eggs, but feed is getting expensive. I thought a smaller hen that can free range would be good, and raising meal worms would supplement that in the winter. Your "how-to" video is just what I needed. I liked your step-by-step instructions. I am new at "do-it-yourself", but you make it look very easy. Thank you very much :)
You're welcome! I am so happy to hear you enjoyed the video! And that is so true, buying meal worms can get old real fast! I love growing them because of how much I can save plus, they don't stink or make any noise! Its a win win! haha! :D
Of course! I've been told that even when just oven roasted they have a bit of a nutty flavor (varies depending on what they're fed) that your humans will likely love, and they contain many important nutrients that they need!
Simply marvellous! It really works. I feed the worms to the wild birds on my bird feeding table. They go bezonkers over the mealworms! They actually watch my movements with beady eyes. When I water the garden, they perch on branches close to me.
If you used an epoxy you wouldn't need all the screws and it would be a better, more uniform seal. The alternative is less screws and a bead of caulk. Regardless, great video, I just got done watching some ridiculous advertisement for a $700 version of exactly this lol.
I imagine it would be when you harvest the mealworms (at a specific time after they hatch from one of the tubs) that you can then sort out the frass from the remaining oats through a sifter or something? I'm not sure though
@@alexglaros9000 Maybe you just set a time-frame and say after a certain time, you don't care. Such as (not real data, just made up for example) if 50% hatch after 2 weeks, 30% 3 weeks, 10% more at 4 weeks, 5% more 5 weeks (95% hatched), then maybe you would let it go for 5 or 6 weeks and be willing to introduce the remaining mealworms to wherever you put the frass. Just an idea. I guess either use what someone else does or take your own findings and see what is worth the time. Thanks for helping me think this out.
Once the eggs have hatched and the meal worms are bigger than the holes in your sifter you sift the bottom tray into a separate container and put the meal worms and oats back into the bucket and top off the oats
@@adinawatson8544 My question is about how to discard the frass, without discarding eggs that haven't yet hatched. I guess you could come up with a way to heat threat the frass and bits of food to make sure if anything was left behind it would be killed. but I also wonder if you were using the frass in gardening I would think you would also be spreading bits of wheat bran or oats which could attract ants or gnats or other pests. I'm wondering if you buried the frass mixed with the bits of food and possible eggs if maybe the mealworms wouldn't survive hatching underground to be a problem to the environment? I just don't know if releasing mealworm eggs or baby mealworms to the environment outside if that could be harmful or not. I know that both mealworms and the beetles will eat carrots and potatoes which are also grown for people to eat so I would think it could potentially be considered a pest.
@@FusionDeveloper in guess I should have specified for the most efficiency separate the grass and let the eggs hatch then sift it or find another way I'm pretty sure I answered the question though
When you first start off yes you could, but the first beetles that come out will eat the other pupas and sometimes even the smaller worms. So I wouldn't recommend t. :)
Wow, very impressed. I wanted to get some ideas and ended up watching the entire thing. Clear, concise, and timing of the visual were perfect. Well done!!!
Your idea is close to what I came up with a few years ago for both the mealworms and beetles, I like your design, the totes are bigger then what I did, works the same way. The issue I ran into was the screen, the mealworms would make holes in the screen every few months, I went with a stronger screen. :)
The thumbnail and title reminded me of minecraft tutorials. Lol “Automatic cow cooking farm” I don’t even know why I am here. I DO have a bearded dragon, but I don’t feed meal worms : / I use dubias
@@thehunter_3414 Your Nan is a smart women. They're cockroaches "The Dubia roach, also known as the orange-spotted roach, Guyana spotted roach, or Argentinian wood roach, is a medium-sized species of cockroach which grows to around 40-45 mm" I feed dubia roaches, mealworms, morio worms, crickets, locust to my Leopard Gecko, variety is key to a good diet. I breed dubia roaches, mealworms and morio worms
What a nifty contraption! I use one of those plastic 3-drawer containers. I like your system much better. As for obtaining the mealworms/beetles to start... I just went out in my back yard at dusk and collected the beetles from under pieces of wood, flowerpots and buckets. Much better than having to buy them (for me, but I can understand why some people may just want to purchase them). Great job on the video and I love the silly voice you did at the end! 🤣
totally. edible, nutritious, and a classic choice. here's an article to inspire you: www.entomoveproject.com/blog/2016/01/10/edible-insects-properties/
Love that this is straight to the point and I love the setup and will probably use this. My only input from experience with a self-sorting setup is that the beetles/mealworms chew right through hardware "cloth". So I'm just switching to the metal hardware cloth. Instead of going to walmart and getting the screening material, I highly recommend going to an Ace or Home Depot and getting tight wire cloth.
Maybe I missed it, but how do you separate the mealworms from the oats? Or maybe for your purpose you don't separate them. If you don't separate them any suggestions on how to separate them. I want to feed them to chickens but would like to keep the oats in the tote and reuse it. Any thoughts from you would be appreciated. Also, your video is one of the most professional I have watched and really appreciate the work you did and how clear your instructions are. No BS and unrelated info. Thanks.
This system blew my mind! That's so simple. I'm building one now to meet some nutritional goals for my crayfish that I'm building an aquaponics system around. Thanks!
Great video! A couple of questions - I always thought you had to keep the beetles/mealworms at a warmer temp (using heating pad) to help with the process. At what temp do you keep your mealworm farm and where do you keep your boxes?
Great video very clear, well done. I think you suggested putting your starter worms in the bottom bin, seems it could be the top. It should be the top bin right?
This is a very interesting and helpful video. I might use it to feed injured wild birds which are taken care of in a society for protection of birds in France. Would it be possible to know the size of the holes of the screen and, if possible, the size of the boxes ? Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter.
Such a great video all around. Quick, easy, clear, totally understandable and do-it-yourselfable. Well done. And now I feel confident in finally breading my own mealworms. Thanks.
whether you want to raise mealworms or not, that was an example of how to make an informative and easy to watch youtube video. Good Job!
Thank you sooo much! :D
I agree! It’s short too. The thing that I hate about some other UA-camrs is that they will give their entire life story then give like a quarter of the information needed but have the video like 25 minutes long instead of 5.
It was a great video, no 30 minutes spent on crap we don't want to know.
I agree too. Great video presentation. There are some details that could have been added, but if all you care about is replicating what he made for mealworms, this video is perfect for that. I personally recommend adding Hot Glue to seal gaps to make sure they can't get in areas of the screen you don't want them, but this is a personal preference, not a mistake in design. Also, i guess you could use a re-enforced hardware cloth under the screen if you plan on adding excessive weight on top, but that will trap more things, so it's better to keep the beetle section light-weight.
Fusion Developer Any tips on the specific screen and specific bins? (I’m having a tough time finding bins with the same perimeter dimensions with varying depths.)
Man, ive watched at least 12 different videos on building a meal worm setup, this is the ONLY one that got straight to the point, didnt have any shaking camera work that made me feel like was suffering a Parkinsons episode and i didnt hear you sniff once! ( why do ppl with colds make videos ffs?) ..Good onya Ninjineer! Top shelf!
Sj Reynolds i agree
Sj Reynolds I KNOW RIGHT. CUT TO THE CHASE.
Mealworm raising can cause allergic reactions. Another problem is that a lot of people doing mealworms that make videos, are not caring to put in the effort to make a good video, because they only care to upload the information so that it is available. Basically "I want people to know what I did", rather than a well defined tutorial. Some of the people making those videos, are not dedicated youtube video makers. It's a "something is better than nothing" approach. Good videos take a lot of effort or a lot of video-making practice.
its so true!!!
Totally agree! Thanks for this!
I’ve been raising mealworms for almost a year and labored over keeps shelves and shelves and shelves organized. This is the first system that I’ve found can make my job so much easier. Thank you so much!
You are right! Using the stacked drawer method, makes a mess!
The is THE BEST video on this topic! We don't want the lengthy, chatty videos, we want eazy, smart-thinking videos like this!
I've got my 3rd month of mealworms started using your method. Having a great time explaining it to people and showing of my worms. Thanks for a really good video.
Very well explained and overall awesome tutorial. Thanks for posting!
You're welcome! Im glad you liked it!
@@MechNinji what size screws?
Yes! No more buying mealworms for our baby chickens! Thanks 😃
Ikr! You can save sooo much money! :D
We have babies already! My dad built this for my daughter, who's eight, and can't believe we have so many little babies. Thank you so much. 😃
We harvested our first lot of meal worms today :D The chickens love them. They're so fat and healthy. So are the meal worms. I didn't realise we had a second generation in the top tub. This system works so wonderful. thank you so so much
@@sarahandemmalemoignan9449 Thanks for making this comment, it seemed so easy I was skeptical of if it would really work. Definetly gonna ask my dad to build it now, my beardie seems pretty excited watching the video with me.
I'm looking at fishing bait
Your addition of the wooden frame makes the world of difference and i can't wait to follow your example. I tried the drawers with glued in mesh and the worms could climb out and get stuck behind the mesh etc. Then I bought a small kit but quickly outgrew it. Your solution is neat and simple. Thanks so much.
If anyone doesn't have a drill to poke the holes, you can use a nail heated in the flame of a gas stovetop to melt a hole through the plastic very quickly. I've done this before because I don't have a drill.
Be very careful though, wear an oven mitt, the nail is very very HOT!
Aziara86 thats smart. 👏 you get a clap
We got Yoda and another star wars character both in the same thread.
I knoe this us old, but cant you use pliers to hold said heated nails?
Sam Sadowitz yea
or a soldering iron then you won't burn your self
Done eight years ago and to this day it is STILL the most complete, concise video on how to raise mealworms. I was about to give up. Thank you so much for as everyone has said, the best video for raising mealworms! 🙏
Rad dude!!! I wanna do something like this for our chickens to have good protein snacks!
If you're looking for another easy protein source for your chickens. Drill holes in a bucket along the bottom and about an inch up the sidewalls. Then hang it from a shepherd's hook or tree branch away from your house. Throw meat scraps or roadkill in the bucket. Flies will lay their eggs and maggots will fall through the holes.
@@sasssquatch1467 man thats gonna smell? neighbour might call the cops ,lol
@@sdqsdq6274 let em lol
@@sasssquatch1467 that's a brilliant idea!
I've been wanting to do this for a while per my wife's request. This is going to save me a ton of money, and make my fowl super fat and happy! Thanks for the video! I'm going to go make one right now!
Thank you. I've watched a few mealworm videos and this is by far both the most succinct and the most immediately informative. Six minutes all in. Great job; well done. You have my vote.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHOWING A FULL DIY VID!! Sooo many people use this breeding bin method, but never actually show how to make this!! THANK YOU!!
You're welcome! I am so glad that you enjoyed it!
AGREED
Clear, clean, easy tutorial, no music, no waffle, awesome
Thank you so much!!! I was hand picking the baby worms from the bottom and it was a PAIN, now with this I can just sit back and relax and let my mw's do there stuff! I'm subscribing just because I'm going to save so much time
Awesome! that sounds great, I'm so happy you like the video! :)
It's 3 am
I don't have animals
why am I watching this
hahaha!
Eli Se
Ha! I watched it at 3:45 am, and I don't have any pets that would eat these buggers, either! Lol
Looks like you need to get some then ;)
Eli Se same lol
But I am planning on getting a bearded dragon, so this would be helpful
This is a fantastic video! Very well explained and easy to follow. Thank you. I will be trying this out now.
I am in agreement with others that this is a really well made DIY video. Lots of information with minimization of the banal stuff, like drilling, cutting, stapling, etc. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much! So happy you enjoyed it! :D
I've watched many videos on how to start a mealworm farm, and so far, this is the best explination so far.
Well done explaining each step and then showing it!
Thank you so much! I've been watching videos on how to raise meal worms and reading comments on how to separate them during all stages and was about to give up because it seemed like it would take up too much time an space. Then I came across your easy to understand setup. Headed to the store now! Keep up the great work!
Very easy to understand. Thank you
I found these containers at Target, they are Hefty brand “Hi-Rise” model, 32 quart and 18 quart. The 18 fits nicely into the 32. One word of caution, they do crack easily when cutting them (drilling was no problem). I used a dremmel type cut off wheel on a drill to cut the rectangular hole. I will start my farm tomorrow!
Just chiming in if you don't have a dremel, so long as your careful you can use a old knife heat it with fire stove or bbq and melt right through! Wear gloves and glasses lol. Also knife will be trash afterwards! Like rick said they crack if you put force and slash!
Its a year later. How did this method perform?
My farm worked great and is still producing. I confess that I have been lazy and I have a mix of beetles, worms and eggs.
I was scrolling the comments hoping someone had posted this information. Thanks very much!
Great plan. You explained it well. Good presentation. No irritable comments like..."the beetles get together and well they khawham ha ha" No irritatiog fillz-ns which nobody listens to.
GOOD JOB! GOOD INFORMATION!
I know this was 7 years ago but wow! You were so so great at "teaching" and explaining! Perfect. Thank you 😊
I'm new at raising mealworms, (having bought them for years, I've decided to try my hand at raising them.). I kept hearing the mesh method bor separating the beetles from the eggs but couldn't find the actual directions. Your video was excellent and showed exactly how it's done. Thanks!
Excellent video, you did not waffle, you got straight to the point, the video was clear and your instructions faultless, well done. Most instructional videos I sit there and get so impatient screaming at the screen telling them to hurry up, or shut and get to the point, we don't care what the weather is like outside at your house or how cute your dog is watching you arrgghh!!!! I'm starting a meal worm farm for my chickens down under in NZ, thank you for this very professional tutorial!
godwit101 hi I didn’t make this video but I make a lot of videos about mealworm farming. Maybe they will help in your journey.
very first time in my life, a video with just information not jiber jaber. thanks for saving the time to comment you back with.
Dude you nailed it man. Quick, easy and simple to understand. I’m gonna use your method. Thank you so much.
Awesome tutorial video, just built one, but instead of building the wooden frame, i found a picture wood frame at Walmart that fit the one inch area just right.
8 x 10 ?
Does the wood that you use have to be pine? I'm not sure if you still use this channel, but this is the best video I have seen for a step by step tutorial on how to make a mealworm farm.
I would highly doubt if it has to be pine. I am pretty sure any wood would do.
Here's my trick to get them to start changing. I take a flat pan and put one-quarter inch of dry oatmeal in it. Then I sprinkle the adult worms, like a 50 cup from the pet store, all over the oatmeal. Then I take a squirt bottle full of pure water on the Mist setting, and spray it eight to ten times, from about a foot away, so that just the surface of the oatmeal and the worms get a nice little drenching, like Dew in the morning. Not enough to soak the oatmeal all the way to the bottom. The bottom half of the oatmeal should be dry if you move it around with your finger a little. Wetting the oatmeal makes the worms Chow Down and pack their bellies with food. This helps them begin metamorphosis. Then I leave it in a quiet place open to the air, and within a day or two, you will begin seeing them starting to pupate. Check the oatmeal now and then and when it gets completely dried out, spray it the exact same way. When you get the white pupae, transfer them to a dry container with just oatmeal and no water so that they can transform in peace without getting wet rot. Leave a ball of wet paper towel in there for moisture but do not soak the oatmeal. They will turn into beetles in no time.
I think 🤔 you tips are great and make sense. I want something easy to maintain because I have way too many shores to do . I has been trying multiple times to grow mealworms and always has been a failure because after adding slices of apple or carrots it ends getting mold and my meal worms all of them die 😫😫😫😫. What is the easiest setting for meal worm you recommend me? Please help me, I really need to grow my meal worms 😨!!! I am very thankful for you help.
you are a god, ive waiting for what feels like forever for my mealworms to pupate
@@queilyyenner6399 If your worms are getting mold you do not have good air flow, I'd also recommend not spraying oatmeal because it molds very quickly when wet, use fresh veg/fruit or even bug gel in a dish. I'd also recommend not using this guide aswell because its actually more work then just sifting, it isnt self sorting by any means the only thing its doing is allowing the eggs to drop down. You still need to sort the fresh pupa and beetles from the eggs/larva.
@@queilyyenner6399 Slice your "food" very thin, they will eat it all before it gets moldy.
Great video! In less than 6 minutes you showed me your design and you didn't make me watch you cut or staple. Good job man. If the rest of your videos are simple and to the point, I'll be a happy camper. Thanks for sharing.
i have absolutely no need for a mealworm farm, but this video was fascinating
It's ashamed you dont
Pretty good video. Thanks for taking time to do a show and tell on the building the bins. I would like to use more shallow bins so it doesn't end up taking up so much space. But that is for everyone to tweak to their own liking . This was well done. Thanks. Jesus bless.
we just got our order of meal worms today you did an excellent job and we are going to try the self sort tub idea also! thank you for posting and keep up the great videos
Excellent! Freeze like I do with bulk flours! My neighbor gave me a huge container of poop. Brilliant~I was concerned of eggs going into my outdoor organic garden. Been a CSLB Landscape Contractor back into 90's. Pro-organic with my garden, though have not Pro worked much for yrs. Thank you! Happy gardening!
Hi, I've just built your mealworm farm and it's by far the best system (and video) out there. I understand the breeding cycle and the need to rotate the beetles over the 'nurseries' every three weeks or so. Do you keep one cycle of mealworms to continue the growing/breeding cycle? If not, at what point do I reserve mealworms to maintain the breeding beetle population? Awesome instructional by the way.
I've seen other videos about this, and a few recomment that you buy some new beetles every now and then to avoid inbreeding.
Inbreeding apparently causes that they stop breeding, and I think there was one or two more things to it, but I don't remember right now because of the green stuff I smoked. 😁
Young man, a good food for thought, no padding, no waffle, to the point video. Info duly noted in my mealworm notepad and onto the next video if needed for further in depth info. Always willing to see different ideas on doing jobs, Way to go - thank you.
This was the easiest tutorial I’ve ever watched thank u...
WOW! Very impressed. Easy instructions. Thank you. :) I started a red worm farm as well a few months ago. Doing well with that. The red worms and the meal worms are for food source for my 'all-natural' chickens food source. Its crazy expensive for meal worms! So, I'll sell some as well. Great video!
Wow! This was such a creative video and I loved the idea of this. Also, the clips were very nicely taken and everything was very well edited. Great tutorial! I can tell a lot of effort went into creating this
Thank you sooo much! I'm so glad you liked it! :D
Simple. I'm watching a group of videos tonight. You answered some questions that weren't answered in the others. Well done.
This is a REALLY sweet idea. I NEVER even thought of something like this. Looks like I know wat Im gonna try n throw together next weekend. THANKS!!!
You're welcome! I'm glad to hear that you like it!
So I did build it just like yours. Cuz I used to ALWAYS have the issue of taken the meal worms out n not the beetles and vice versa. A damn pain in the ass. But wit your little invention here I aint had to worry about it at all. Not a single beetle has been in the bottom so when the MW pupate I dont have to worry bout the beetles eating them. Which was a major issue for me before. So I THANK YOU VERY MUCH!! You helped me out ALOT!! Oh also I did a tiny upgrade to yours that made it perfect. I went and got a few different sizes of screen and used the one thats big enough for large meal worms to go thru BUT not the beetles. It works PERFECTLY as I have yet to see even ONE MW in the top with the beetles. Just thought I would give you that lil tip since you helped me out WAY more then you know. TYVM yet again
Awesome! I am so glad to hear that it is working well for you! That is fantastic! :D
@@erikiacopelli451 What type of screen?
This was the best video I saw all day. Not long and drawn out. Thanks!!
thanks! Im so glad to hear that! :)
This is the best, most straightforward demonstration of exactly
how to build and maintain a mealworm farm. Thank you!
Made this cause I have 2 hungry geckos and im tired to spending $15 every other week on worms. So far iv saved close to $300. Thank you so much!
Have you ever had beetles escape? I don’t want an infestation!
@@cocomaan nope aslong as ur container is big enough you dont haft to worry
I want to express my gratitude on the BEST video on youtube. I went through so many and got frustrated until I found yours. You were very thorough but respectfully gave us time to really understand just how to put this together. Thank you so much!!! ❤
How long do the beetles live for? I'm assuming you have to put some mealworms or pupae in the top to keep the breeding stock up; how often do you have to do that?
www.wikihow.com/Breed-Mealworms
This is one of the best videos for a mealworm setup. It works and isn't complicated 👌
Great video! Super informative and to the point. I am going to try this method for my little guys. Thank you.
Awesome! I am so glad that you enjoyed it!
I loved this video. So helpful. Looks like the best way to start a nice little farm. Thank you! I just went out and bought my tubs. When I re-watched the video to check how often to rotate top tub, I hear you say get 200 meal worms... I ordered 1000! haha here we go!!!
"... and a couple of other animals"
Including humans... Yes, yes, yes...
Bug farming is quite viable in urban neighborhoods as they need very little land and feed. Plus oats are cheap.
@@animequeen78 Yes, I do my own little mealworm farming in my little appartement. Takes very little room, very little work, very little money....
Do you eat them? How does it taste?
@@aswinchandran4181 Doesn't have much taste in itself, it's mostly protein, it tastes what it has been cooked with (herbs, aromats, etc...)
I was searching for that comment
Excellent Mr. Ninji, You have done a great job encouraging others with your presentation. There's no telling how far and where your talent will take you if this is any indication. God Bless.......
I see a very bright future for your channel! Great job on the video, very informative and I have no questions to ask.
Thank you so much! I am so glad you liked the video! :)
Simple and professional. Thank you. This video wipes out others that drag on and on and tell you nothing.
I remember raising a mealworm in first grade 😂 it was so fun and I was surprised to find a beetle and a mealworm in my container because idk who it bred with 😂
haha! That's pretty cool! Its always super fun to do stuff like that as a kid!
Out of all the meal worm videos I have watched, this one was by far the best and easiest setup.
Dude you did a great job explaining it ..so detailed ray Charles could follow your instruction
haha! Thanks! :D
Excellent ideas!! Thank you so much. My husband and I are doing this now, and because we are total nerds, we each have our own mealworm farm and are competing. He has a ton of pupae, but I just got my first 2 beetles, so I may be in the lead so far, LOL. He's keeping his in a heated space and uses wheat bran. Mine is at room temp using oatmeal.
He found an idea elsewhere to keep the pupae safe from beetles while keeping it simple...place a small box or table-shaped item in the beetle container, and keep your pupae on there. Once the beetles hatch, they walk off and fall into the food below, so it's self-sorting! We hot-glued wooden legs onto a plastic scrap, and it works great!
hahaha! I love it! That sounds awesome! I actually tried my own version of the table and it didn't work out too well for me. Sounds like I need to give it another go! Best of luck to you! I hope you kick his butt! haha! :)
excellent design - functional and simple. thanks for posting
Thanks! I'm so glad you like it!
We're going to raise chickens and mealmorms are a great source of protein for the chickens. Great job producing your DIY video Mech Ninji.👍
This sounds like a minecraft tutorial
haha!
TimeWarpTv more like a ark totorial
I actually had the same thought. I think a lot of people who played Minecraft growing up are going to end up as real life permaculture farmers. Using the output of one system to feed into another, which feeds into another, and all the while taking out human-useful products.
TimeWarpTv yeah
But the there is a mechanical theory that gave boost to this theory
Thank you, Ninjineer :) I'm a grandma on limited income. I am wanting to get a few laying hens for fresh eggs, but feed is getting expensive. I thought a smaller hen that can free range would be good, and raising meal worms would supplement that in the winter. Your "how-to" video is just what I needed. I liked your step-by-step instructions. I am new at "do-it-yourself", but you make it look very easy. Thank you very much :)
You're welcome! I am so happy to hear you enjoyed the video! And that is so true, buying meal worms can get old real fast! I love growing them because of how much I can save plus, they don't stink or make any noise! Its a win win! haha! :D
Can I feed them to my human pets as well?
Of course! I've been told that even when just oven roasted they have a bit of a nutty flavor (varies depending on what they're fed) that your humans will likely love, and they contain many important nutrients that they need!
just sayin' not thatd id know but... they taste like potato chips if you fry them
Simply marvellous! It really works. I feed the worms to the wild birds on my bird feeding table. They go bezonkers over the mealworms! They actually watch my movements with beady eyes. When I water the garden, they perch on branches close to me.
That is so awesome! I'm happy to hear you like it! :)
What's the nutritional value on average for a meal worm?
I'm sorry but I have no idea. :)
its ok :)
I don't know specifically the nutritional value but I do know that they are pretty fatty in comparison to crickets.
So you have to sort out the mealworms from the pupas, What the best way to do that.
Per 100grams (or roughly 80-90 worms)
Fat: 27.2%
Protein: 49.6%
Carbohydrates: 6.9 grams
Calories: 135 calories
Hope that helps.
Best mealworm farm video out there. No waffling and all the information I needed was there. Cheers!
If you used an epoxy you wouldn't need all the screws and it would be a better, more uniform seal. The alternative is less screws and a bead of caulk. Regardless, great video, I just got done watching some ridiculous advertisement for a $700 version of exactly this lol.
A very nice video concise simple well done thank you for sharing that with us and thank you for no music I am going to try this for my chickens
My question is, how do you know when to discard the "frass" without discarding eggs?
I imagine it would be when you harvest the mealworms (at a specific time after they hatch from one of the tubs) that you can then sort out the frass from the remaining oats through a sifter or something? I'm not sure though
@@alexglaros9000 Maybe you just set a time-frame and say after a certain time, you don't care. Such as (not real data, just made up for example) if 50% hatch after 2 weeks, 30% 3 weeks, 10% more at 4 weeks, 5% more 5 weeks (95% hatched), then maybe you would let it go for 5 or 6 weeks and be willing to introduce the remaining mealworms to wherever you put the frass. Just an idea. I guess either use what someone else does or take your own findings and see what is worth the time. Thanks for helping me think this out.
Once the eggs have hatched and the meal worms are bigger than the holes in your sifter you sift the bottom tray into a separate container and put the meal worms and oats back into the bucket and top off the oats
@@adinawatson8544 My question is about how to discard the frass, without discarding eggs that haven't yet hatched. I guess you could come up with a way to heat threat the frass and bits of food to make sure if anything was left behind it would be killed. but I also wonder if you were using the frass in gardening I would think you would also be spreading bits of wheat bran or oats which could attract ants or gnats or other pests. I'm wondering if you buried the frass mixed with the bits of food and possible eggs if maybe the mealworms wouldn't survive hatching underground to be a problem to the environment? I just don't know if releasing mealworm eggs or baby mealworms to the environment outside if that could be harmful or not. I know that both mealworms and the beetles will eat carrots and potatoes which are also grown for people to eat so I would think it could potentially be considered a pest.
@@FusionDeveloper in guess I should have specified for the most efficiency separate the grass and let the eggs hatch then sift it or find another way I'm pretty sure I answered the question though
Great video! Explained very well with step-by-step instructions. I just finished my mealworm farm and looking forward to saving some money!
whenever I buy the meal worms can I put them at the top and just leave them their , so when the Beatles hatch I don't have to move them?
When you first start off yes you could, but the first beetles that come out will eat the other pupas and sometimes even the smaller worms. So I wouldn't recommend t. :)
I think you are confusing John, Paul, George and Ringo with bugs.
berthosquire Oh come on... they look exactly the same close up ;)
so you need to take your beetles out once they hatch so they don't eat the other worms in the system you showed?
No, those are Beatles.
Wow, very impressed. I wanted to get some ideas and ended up watching the entire thing. Clear, concise, and timing of the visual were perfect. Well done!!!
for those not used to lumber calculations:
1/2in x 1 1/2 in (actual) = "1x2" in the store
Your idea is close to what I came up with a few years ago for both the mealworms and beetles, I like your design, the totes are bigger then what I did, works the same way. The issue I ran into was the screen, the mealworms would make holes in the screen every few months, I went with a stronger screen. :)
Iv had this setup for a little over 6 months and haven't had that problem yet, but that is good to know! Thanks for sharing! :)
Ah, yes, hammer in all the staperills.
Really? That's what you commented on? A speech mistake? Ever try doing a video or speaking to a group and not make a mistake? You must be a god.
Very concise and directly to the point! This is how every tutorial video should be. You, Sir, earn a freakin medal!
hahaha! Thanks! I'm so glad you like the video! :D
The thumbnail and title reminded me of minecraft tutorials. Lol
“Automatic cow cooking farm”
I don’t even know why I am here. I DO have a bearded dragon, but I don’t feed meal worms : / I use dubias
My nana thinks that dubias are the same as cockroches sooooooo I can't have any i wish I could though :/
@@thehunter_3414 Your Nan is a smart women. They're cockroaches "The Dubia roach, also known as the orange-spotted roach, Guyana spotted roach, or Argentinian wood roach, is a medium-sized species of cockroach which grows to around 40-45 mm" I feed dubia roaches, mealworms, morio worms, crickets, locust to my Leopard Gecko, variety is key to a good diet. I breed dubia roaches, mealworms and morio worms
What a nifty contraption! I use one of those plastic 3-drawer containers. I like your system much better. As for obtaining the mealworms/beetles to start... I just went out in my back yard at dusk and collected the beetles from under pieces of wood, flowerpots and buckets. Much better than having to buy them (for me, but I can understand why some people may just want to purchase them).
Great job on the video and I love the silly voice you did at the end! 🤣
He forgot to say also feed it to Humans.
oh, you sound like my brother! hahaha!
You really are broken huh?
Mmmm... protein! 😋
Fried mealworms taste good
now, in 2019 it is legal to sell isects as food, they taste not bad and they are definetly a great source of many nutriens.
That was the best mealworm farm DIY video I've ever seen! Thank you so much.
Do humans count as an animal to consume them?
haha! I guess you could eat meal worms but I wouldn't. :)
totally. edible, nutritious, and a classic choice.
here's an article to inspire you: www.entomoveproject.com/blog/2016/01/10/edible-insects-properties/
FrancesQuimby
they're just guts though... no meat
The Legend34 Most of the "Meat" we eat are mostly guts.
Cthulhu Reptiles
No.... It's muscle dude.
That was excellent, thank you for giving us relevant, concise information!!
My ants eat meal worms like complete savages.
(edit) My, pet carpenter ants
Can you feed the beetle to the ant?
I have carpenter ants too but they doesn't like to eat crickets..
Love that this is straight to the point and I love the setup and will probably use this. My only input from experience with a self-sorting setup is that the beetles/mealworms chew right through hardware "cloth". So I'm just switching to the metal hardware cloth. Instead of going to walmart and getting the screening material, I highly recommend going to an Ace or Home Depot and getting tight wire cloth.
This really helped
Im thinking of starting my own farm for my reptiles because buying them at the store ,is burning a huge hole in my wallet
That's awesome! Yeah, it does save a lot of money!
I built your exact setup one month ago, added 1100 worms, and I already have numerous larva and beetles. Thanks!
That is SO awesome! So happy to hear that! :D
Im just gonna breed mealworms as a hobby
Said no one ever.
@@smnewstead4093 Thanks for reminding me! Now I have something to do over lockdown :)
@@zethcader6478 They kinda stink!
@@smnewstead4093 How badly?
@@zethcader6478 Just a bit, but it's nasty. Crickets too.
Maybe I missed it, but how do you separate the mealworms from the oats? Or maybe for your purpose you don't separate them. If you don't separate them any suggestions on how to separate them. I want to feed them to chickens but would like to keep the oats in the tote and reuse it. Any thoughts from you would be appreciated. Also, your video is one of the most professional I have watched and really appreciate the work you did and how clear your instructions are. No BS and unrelated info. Thanks.
I'm trying to raise mealworms to eat
That's cool!
Guitars and Guns Post that video please. I would click on all the advertisements.
You'll give me add rev for eating some meal worms?
Count me in
better off letting chickens eat them first..
that sounds disgusting :-( just guts.. no meat
This system blew my mind! That's so simple. I'm building one now to meet some nutritional goals for my crayfish that I'm building an aquaponics system around. Thanks!
I am SO happy that you like it! :D
I feel like I'm watching a minecraft tutorial
haha! Minecraft 2.0! :D
Tomarty haha lol
Great video! A couple of questions - I always thought you had to keep the beetles/mealworms at a warmer temp (using heating pad) to help with the process. At what temp do you keep your mealworm farm and where do you keep your boxes?
What about the poo..
It will be thrown out with the bedding when you change it out at the end of every generation. :)
Mechanical Ninjineer how often is that
Jamie Alford every month
Shannon Mae so the beetles live roughly a month before they die?
ZekeITS I don’t know how long they live but you need to clean them out every month so it doesn’t smell
Great video very clear, well done. I think you suggested putting your starter worms in the bottom bin, seems it could be the top. It should be the top bin right?
yeah I went screw crazy in my youth too
Not for larval beetles tho, larval men was my crazy
Thank you so much. May Adonai bless you and keep you…😊
This is a very interesting and helpful video. I might use it to feed injured wild birds which are taken care of in a society for protection of birds in France.
Would it be possible to know the size of the holes of the screen and, if possible, the size of the boxes ? Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter.
Such a great video all around. Quick, easy, clear, totally understandable and do-it-yourselfable. Well done. And now I feel confident in finally breading my own mealworms. Thanks.