Thread: raising wax worms

I am not having too much luck with this first batch every day more and more turn black and I guess are dead. The temperature here is fluctuation wildly from cold at nite to hot in the day and I think that may be a problem. No worms have spun a cacoon yet. I am raising them in the house but turn the heat way down when we are a sleep.
I will give this batch a few more weeks then try starting over when the temps are more suitable for the wax worms.

This may be dumb question. But arent wax worms the same as beemoth? If so, then I think I may take a stab at raising some.

Found these simple instructions on the net and pasted them below. Doesn't sound to complicated. Looks like these instructions say to use crumpled wax paper instead of a bee comb. Or maybe I might just buy the kit @ http://www.wormman.com/pd_lesser.cfm. It only $10.95.

BTW, what is bran mix, can it be bought at the grocery story?

Anyone used this method?

1.Best way to start raising wax worms is to buy some.
2.Prepare an escape proof container for them ie 3 to 5 gallon tank with screened lid
(tape it on later).
3.You will also need a substrate- get some bran and honey- mix it together dry. If you can get some bees wax grate it into the mixture. Crumble the mixture into the tank. You can also buy the bedding above.
The mix may still be a little sticky.
4.Put the wax worms in the container with the bedding.
5.Add a few crumpled balls of wax paper as well.
6.Keep the wax worms at room temp. eventually the waxworms will begin to spin
cocoons. They will remain in their cocoons for approx two weeks- then moths will
emerge.
7.The moths will mate and live for about a week or so- they will lay their eggs in the wax
paper.
8.A couple of weeks after the moths have died you will see lots of tiny worms. They
grow fast if they are kept at room temp- so once they are half grown you may want to
store them in the fridge in a container with small air holes and some of the honey and
bran mix. If you leave them at room temp the cycle will begin again.
9.You must secure the top. The worms hatch small and will escape.

Wax worms go through four stages: egg, larvae, pupa, and adult. At 85 degrees it will take the worm 5 to 6 weeks to go from larva to adult.

1. When the worm starts to turn grayish or darker. Is he dieing or begining the cocoon stage?
2. Is this what they look like when they are in coccon stage? Found the picture while searching the net. Says they are wax worm pupas.

Here is two of the best online links I found for info about and raiseing beemoth(waxworms). Seems Lizard and Aqualand Pets owners know alot about raising wzxwroms. Got mine in a jar waiting to see what they do, die or multiply. I just ground some hard dogfood up, added a little honey & water, and made a mix. If nothing else, the grandkids like to watch them crawl around. Entertains them.

http://www.aqualandpetsplus.com/Live...ax%20Worms.htm

http://www.adcham.com/html/insects/i...m-rearing.html

Man, please don't raise them. KILL them.I'm a beekeeper & they are a beekeepers worst night mare.They will move in a hive of bees & completely take them over.kill out alot of bee's every year.I burn thousand's of them each year.

Here a site you might want to check out.Its www.waxwormkit.com

Originally Posted by bentpole

Man, please don't raise them. KILL them.I'm a beekeeper & they are a beekeepers worst night mare.They will move in a hive of bees & completely take them over.kill out alot of bee's every year.I burn thousand's of them each year.

Ya I know. And raiseing them indoors should not hurt your bees. As long as people don't release them into the wild. I like honey, but never could understand how a person could make a living off bee's. Maybe you should raise beemoths and do away with the bee's. There might be more money in the worms. There are more people who fish than eat honey, i would think. just a thought, not meant to upset ya.

been 3 wks since I put 20 waxworms in a big jar. Yesterday the 1st moth hatched. Out of 20 worms 13 spun cocoons and 7 turned dark and died. read that 1 female supposed to lay up to 300 eggs. If that happens, I'll have more waxmorms out the whazzzoooo.....