Difference between revisions of "Breed Waxworms"

[[Category: Worms]]

#Choose a glass, metal, or hard plastic container. A 1-gallon jar or 5-gallon tank has plenty of room for about 50 waxworms.<ref name="rf1">http://www.herpcenter.com/insect-care-sheets/waxworms-care-sheet/</ref> Do not use a container made from soft plastic, wood, or cardboard, since waxworm larvae can chew through these materials.<ref name="rf2">https://www.wardsci.com/www.wardsci.com/images/Waxworms.pdf</ref>

#Mix your own waxworm bedding. Start with enough bran, wheat germ, or uncooked oatmeal to cover the base of your container to 1 inch (2.5 cm) depth. Put this in a large bowl and pour in honey. Mix it by hand (wear a disposable glove if you like) until you have a soft, thick, crumbly paste, sticky but not dripping honey.<ref name="rf1" /><ref name="rf3">http://www.clubfauna.com/articles/invertebrates/breeding-waxworms/#Making_Waxworm_Bedding</ref>

#*To save money, you can replace up to 90% of the honey with corn syrup, a cheaper but less effective food source.<ref name="rf4">http://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/refrigerate-mealworms-and-waxworms.145599/</ref>

#*Optionally, mix in glycerin a spoonful at a time until the mixture turns dark.<ref name="rf5">http://www.clubfauna.com/articles/invertebrates/breeding-waxworms/</ref> This helps keep the bedding warm and damp, and encourages rapid, healthy breeding.<ref name="rf6">http://www.openbugfarm.com/forum.html#/discussion/159/questions-regarding-the-rearing-of-the-greater-wax-moth</ref>

#Let the bedding dry. Spoon out the mixture onto the waxy side of wax paper.<ref name="rf7">www.chameleonforums.com/threads/refrigerate-mealworms-and-waxworms.145599/</ref> Leave it in a spot with good ventilation to dry.

#*The bedding should still feel sticky, but if it is too soft to break into clumps, it needs more drying time.<ref name="rf1" />

#Line the sides with newspaper (optional). If you plan to breed large numbers of waxworms, their breathing can cause water droplets to condense on the sides. Strips of newspaper help to absorb this and prevent the bedding from becoming too damp for the larvae to use.<ref name="rf8">http://dendroworld.co.uk/BDGarchive/waxmoths.html</ref> Leave some of the sides clear so you can see what's happening inside.

#Put in the waxworms. You can buy waxworms online or from a vivarium. The healthiest larvae are a cream color with no dark discolorations.<ref name="rf9">http://www.everythingreptile.org/wax-worm-breeding-guide.html</ref> Transfer these to the container, keeping out dark larvae and dead larvae.

#*A large jar or tank can hold at least 50 waxworms, but the exact number isn't too important for a home project. For an efficient breeding setup, use about 75–100 waxworms for each 100 grams (3.5 oz by weight) of bedding.<ref name="rf10">http://naldc.nal.usda.gov/naldc/download.xhtml?id=CAT75662587&content=PDF</ref>

#Cover the container top with cheesecloth or mesh. Block all openings with a double layer of cheesecloth or very fine (20 mesh / 0.85mm) wire screen so air can pass through.<ref name="rf7" /><ref name="rf1" /> Hold it in place with a rubber band or hot glue.

#*If you are using a tank that comes with a mesh lid, tape the edges of the lid to make sure it stays in place.<ref name="rf1" />

#Keep your waxworms in a ventilated area. Put the container in a room with decent air flow, so moisture can evaporate before it condenses on the container walls.<ref name="rf1" /> The waxworms aren't affected much by humidity, but they may have trouble moving and feeding if the substrate gets damp and mushy.<ref name="rf10" />

#Warm the container. Waxworms breed much faster in temperatures between 28 and 32ºC (82 to 90ºF).<ref name="rf2" /><ref name="rf1" /> If you can't keep a room close to this temperature, warm the container with a heat mat or heat lamp from a pet store.

#*Do not let the temperature reach 40ºC (104ºF). At this temperature, many of the adult moths will die before they finish laying eggs.<ref name="rf10" />

#Wait for the larvae to pupate. The larvae should tunnel through the substrate, eat it, and grow bigger, molting their skins several times along the way. The larvae usually pupate once they are six or seven weeks old, if kept at a warm temperature.<ref name="rf11">http://www.coloss.org/documents/beebook-pdfs/jar-52-1-10.pdf</ref> They will either spin cocoons, or (at lower temperatures) enclose themselves in a hard, dark shell.<ref name="rf2" />

#*A greater waxworm larvae usually reaches about 20mm (¾ inch) before it molts.<ref name="rf12">http://www.coloss.org/beebook/II/wax-moth/2/2</ref> The lesser waxworm species is almost as long, but has a narrow body.<ref name="rf11" />

#*If you have a dense population, you may need to add more of the edible bedding before they pupate. Greater waxworm larvae can eat very quickly, so check on them daily.<ref name="rf8" />

#*Cocoons usually take at least two days to spin, sometimes more. Don't move them until the outside feels fairly hard.<ref name="rf12" />

#Drop in wax paper for egg laying. Fold strips of wax paper accordion-style.<ref name="rf13">https://archive.org/stream/biostor-76856/biostor-76856_djvu.txt</ref> Drop these into the new container. Once the worms hatch into wax moths, they will lay their eggs on the wax paper.<ref name="rf1" />

#*You can use pieces of plastic straws instead.<ref name="rf13" />

#Wait for the moths to hatch. At warm temperatures, an adult moth could emerge from the cocoon in as few as ten days after spinning. Don't be surprised if it takes a couple weeks (or up to 40 days for lesser waxworms).<ref name="rf11" /> At room temperature, you may have to wait as long as 60 days.<ref name="rf14">http://www.coloss.org/beebook/II/wax-moth/2/3</ref>

#*The larvae goes through dramatic changes to become a pupa in the first 4–7 days. The rest of the time is spent becoming a moth.<ref name="rf14" />

#Watch the moths mate and lay eggs. Within a few hours of leaving the cocoons, the females will fan their wings at the males, then mate with them.<ref name="rf11" /> After that, the female will look for a nook to lay her eggs — hopefully on the objects you dropped in.

#*The moths do not eat, but will still live for at least a few days after emerging. The females will die after about 7 days (lesser wax moths) or 12 days (greater), while the males will last about 13 days (lesser) or 21 days (greater).<ref name="rf11" />

#Start a new generation. In ideal conditions, the eggs can hatch in just 3 days (greater waxworms) or 7 days (lesser waxworms). At lower temperatures, this can take up to 30 days.<ref name="rf15">http://www.coloss.org/beebook/II/wax-moth/2/1</ref> You can leave them in the same container as the moths, or move them to a fresh one set up the same way. (Leaving them in the same container as the dead moths is usually fine, but the moths can get smelly, and may increase risk of disease.)

#*Newly hatched waxworms can climb up glass and chew or squeeze through almost anything. During this stage of the waxworm life cycle, place the container in a shallow pan of water to prevent escape.<ref name="rf9" />

*Before reusing a container for a new batch of insects, sterilize it by boiling in hot water.<ref name="rf11" /> This reduces the risk of spreading diseases that kill waxworms. If using a plastic container, consider throwing it away and starting with a fresh one.

*Some beekeepers collect waxworms that attack their hives. They might give you these worms for free, or sell them for a lower price than pet stores.<ref name="rf16">http://www.allaboutworms.com/wax-worms</ref>

*A little pollen, grated beeswax, or piece of old honeycomb can increase breeding rates in some waxworm populations.<ref name="rf13" />

*If you need to delay the breeding, store the pupae (cocoons) at 15.5ºC (60ºF) and 60% relative humidity for up to two months.<ref name="rf11" />

*Zookeepers and other professionals may use more complicated substrates to guarantee good results. Here's one example, using a very large batch:<ref name="rf11" />

*Do not release waxworms into the wild. They can disrupt the local environment, especially beehives.<ref name="rf2" />

*Wash your hands with soap and water after handling waxworms to prevent spreading diseases to humans and pets.<ref name="rf2" />