Tenebrio molitor (mealworm) breeding technology

Tenebrio molitor, commonly known as mealworm. The larvae contain 51% crude protein and 28.5% fat, with high nutritional value.

Tenebrio molitor is a complete metamorphosis insect, that is, adult, egg, larva, and pupa. The adult body is long and flat, dark brown, with metallic luster. In the process of metamorphosis, it begins to be reluctant to move, and after 5 days, the color becomes darker, it is flexible but does not fly, crawls faster, starts to mate and lays eggs, 2 to 4 eggs each time, and each female lays about 300 eggs. The adult period is about 60 days. The egg period is generally 6 to 10 days. The larval stage is generally 60 to 70 days. The larvae are yellowish-white when hatched, and gradually turn brownish-yellow. On average, they peel once every 9 days. Each peeling is one instar, with a total of 7 peelings. When the last peeling occurs, it turns into a pupae on the surface of the feed. The larvae of all instars are the best feed for the wood frog. The pupal stage is usually about 10 days. In the breeding process, due to the influence of temperature and feed nutrients, the length of the growth time of each insect stage also changes. It can breed 3 to 4 generations a year in eastern Liaoning.

1. Conditions for breeding Tenebrio molitor

To breed Tenebrio molitor, problems such as seed insects, feed, and equipment must be solved.

1, species of insects. Breeding Tenebrio molitor is the key. Adults, pupae, and adult larvae can all be used as seed insects, but it is best to choose adult larvae as seed insects. When selecting adult larvae as seed insects, choose adult larvae with dark yellow color, thick and uniform body.

2. Feed. The main feed of Tenebrio molitor is wheat bran, which can also be supplemented with other bran. These feeds can meet the needs of the worms for protein, vitamins, trace elements and water. Each kilogram of mealworms can eat 3 kilograms of wheat bran and 6 kilograms of vegetables in one generation cycle.

3. Equipment:

① Feeding room. The breeding room should be light-transmitting and ventilated, and it can keep warm and moisturizing in winter. Under normal circumstances, one room can raise more than 300 plates of insects.

② feeding tray. A. Wooden plate, size 50 cm x 40 cm x 8 cm, plate thickness is 1.2 to 1.5 cm, and the bottom is nailed with fiberboard or plywood; B. Sieve tray, size 45 cm x 35 cm x 7 cm, The thickness of the board is the same as above, and the bottom is nailed with a 20-mesh screen; the best material for the feeding tray is soft wood. In order to prevent the insects from crawling outside, put plastic tape on the four frames in the rearing box.

②Sifter; use 30-mesh and 60-mesh sieves as a sieve to screen insect excrement. 60 mesh sieve 1 to 2 instars.

④ Requirements inside the breeding room. The temperature should be kept between 15 and 25 °C in winter and summer. Below 10 °C, the insects will not eat or grow long. If the temperature exceeds 30 °C, the insects will heat up and will burn to death. The humidity should be kept between 60% and 70%, and the ground should not be too wet. Heating in winter and ventilation in summer. There should be humidity and thermometers in the room.

2. Breeding technology

As described in the beginning of breeding adult larvae. Adult larvae are first put into feeding wooden trays, each about 1.6 kg, and then sprinkled with wheat bran and vegetables. Wheat bran can be fed once a day or once a few days, depending on the amount of feed on the plate, but the vegetables should be fed once a day, and it is better to eat as much as possible.

If it is found that there are too many feces at the bottom of the pan, the worm feces can be screened out before feeding; generally, the feces can be screened once in about 10 days. When the adult larvae shed their skin for the last time, they pupate. The pupation can be completed in a few seconds, and the pupation is carried out on the surface of the feed.

During the pupation period, pupae should be picked once a day to prevent death from being bitten. In order to facilitate management, centralized eclosion, and synchronized breeding, the pupae picked out within two days should be placed in the same feeding tray during the peak period of pupation, and the thickness of each tray should not exceed 1 cm. Do not put feed in the pan.

The pupa stage is generally about 10 days. During this period, do not flip it at will, and pick out the dead pupae in time. It takes 3 to 5 days for all the pupae to emerge into adults. The newly emerged adults are white, very immature and not very active. At this time, a little feed and vegetables can be given. After about 6 days, the color becomes darker and begins to focus and mate. At this time, the adults should be placed in the sieve tray, then a piece of newspaper should be placed in the wooden tray, and the sieve tray containing the adults should be placed in the wooden tray to lay eggs. Take out the sieve tray every three days, take out the newspapers with the eggs, feed, and worm excrement, and put them into another breeding compound to hatch. Each compound can hold 5 to 6 newspapers. Take out the feeder of the newspaper and put it back in the newspaper, and then put the sieve into the spawner.

The adult worms that lay eggs should have enough feed every day, and generally live for about 60 days. During this period, the dead worms should be picked out in time. In order to prolong the spawning period and lay more eggs, in addition to feeding bran and vegetables, apples, carrots, soybean flour, etc. can be supplemented if conditions permit. The egg period is generally 6 to 10 days. During this period, it is not easy to turn over. When the larvae retreat once after the eggs hatch, the newspaper can be removed from the inside. When the combined feed is exhausted, the worm excrement can be sieved and added with feed. After that, the feeding and management method is the same as that of the adult larvae. When the larvae gradually grow up, they should be separated and combined in time.

3. Management measures

1. Non-breeding personnel are prohibited from entering the breeding room.

2. The feed should be fresh, the bran should not be moldy, and the vegetables should not rot. Fresh Lai must be fed every day.

3. It is necessary to screen out insect excrement in time to avoid mildew.

4. Regularly observe the situation of each insect stage, and remove diseased insects or dead insects in time.