Hisserdude Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 Hey, I was wondering how you guys keep your lesser mealworms (Alphitobius diaperinus). What do you guys use as a substrate? Do you keep them moist or dry? Do the larva need too be separated in order to pupate, (like Eleodes or Zophobas), or can they be kept together, (like Tenebrio)? Thanks in advance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 I have them in both dry and humid enclosures and they thrive in both. I don't really do anything special for them. They can be kept together and will pupate just fine. All they need is a food source and they'll multiply like guppies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hisserdude Posted April 5, 2015 Author Share Posted April 5, 2015 Awesome, thanks for the answers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hisserdude Posted December 13, 2015 Author Share Posted December 13, 2015 Just caught some adults of this species today, I helped clean a friends barn which was full of old corn and hay and there was a ton of these guys in it. I also got paid to clean the barn, so I basically got paid to collect beetles! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wcbpolish Posted December 13, 2015 Share Posted December 13, 2015 I keep mine in a gallon jar with grain/based (oatmeal, sweatscoop litter) substrate. Whenever I find a dead roach in an enclosure, I toss it in to them, as well as giving a bit of moisture from time-to-time. Others are cleaners in small enclosures... they get the same care as the roaches that they cohabitate with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hisserdude Posted December 14, 2015 Author Share Posted December 14, 2015 Yeah, I won't be keeping them on grain, I will probably get a HUGE mite explosion if I do. I will be keeping them like my roaches but drier, and feed them some dead roaches from time to time. Thanks for the care info! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matttoadman Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 I have a small population that lives in my pigeon loft under a osb board along side a few Pennsylvania wood roach nymphs. Nothing there but feathers, dander, and deteriorating wood. Doesn't sound very nutritious but I guess it's all they need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hisserdude Posted December 15, 2015 Author Share Posted December 15, 2015 Yep, this species seems to be pretty resilient! You should collect some and use them as a clean-up crew for your roaches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matttoadman Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 i tried once but they climbed out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hisserdude Posted December 15, 2015 Author Share Posted December 15, 2015 They probably flew out, I don't think they have the ability to climb smooth surfaces, (no darkling beetle I know of does). Did you containers have lids? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matttoadman Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 I collected them in a pet store betta cup, and by the time they warmed up from the cold they promptly walked right up the sides. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hisserdude Posted December 15, 2015 Author Share Posted December 15, 2015 Weird, can you get some pictures of them? I have never heard of this species being able to climb smooth surfaces. People have said to put plastic containers in the substrate to trap the beetles in when the population gets too big in a roach cage, so I assumed this species could not climb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sleepy Lemur Posted December 19, 2015 Share Posted December 19, 2015 Lesser mealworms can't climb plastic or glass. If that were the case I wouldn't have any by now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matttoadman Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 I will see if I can find some. I may need to re i.d. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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