MEAL WORMS
Meal worms may be purchased at most pet stores and sometimes at
fishing bait places (fly fishermen use them). They are available in
different sizes, small, medium, large, and extra large. Don't get the
extra large ones. The bluebirds seem terrified of the mean looking
things and I certainly didn't like handling them. The birds seem to
prefer the medium sized ones especially when they are feeding their
young. To grow your own meal worms, purchase a hundred or so, more if
you want to start feeding some to the birds right away. Place the
tiny critters in a trash can, lard stand, or old washtub, etc. which
has been filled with two gallons of bran, the type used to feed farm
animals, not from the grocery store, and two pounds of meal (plain,
no salt or additives). Cut two or three medium apples or potatoes or
both in half and lay open side down on top of the meal. These supply
the necessary moisture for the worms and should be replaced or
replenished every week or two. Fold a piece of worn bath towel and
place it on top of everything. When the worms are ready to be fed to
the birds, they will crawl up between the bath towel for picking.
Accommodating little creatures, aren't they? No need for a lid
because they can't climb up the slick surface. Don't add water or
dampen the towel because it would probably mildew. The worms develop
in three stages. When the worms you buy (approximately an inch in
length) crawl up into the towel they actually are preparing to turn
into pupas and will become immobile, from pupas they turn into black
beetles (and no, they don't fly out but they do crawl around like
crazy). The beetles then lay eggs which hatch into tiny meal worms
starting the cycle all over again.
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