I tried twice to get a wax worm culture started as they are $$$$.
The first one I made to sticky and they all turned black and died.
The 2nd one I made the substrate more crumbly, they all turned black and died.
NOW, I do have some advise for anyone who has failed at starting the culture and all my fellow Newbies who would like to start a culture. YES, it does work; however, you MUST do the following:
1) use wheat or oats mixed with honey and glycerin, (GLYERIN to keep the honey soft) and make sure the substrate is moist but crumbly DON'T overdo the honey or the glycerin, [use 1 part glycerin to 4 parts honey], place the substrate in the jar, drop in around 25 waxworms, crumble some waxpaper and push it in the jar and seal the top (see below).
2) the container MUST be either placed in the dark OR the outside covered to block out the light (I used an old black sock and strectched it over the jar (bottom up to top). Then, use an old mesh type curtain (or material that breathes and will let air in), I keep it taut and in place with a rubberband twisted once (i.e. doubled) and slipped over the lip. 3) MOST IMPORTANT, they MUST HAVE HEAT, around 85°F, or the moths won't hatch. Don't worry about them mating, they are asexual and they ALL lay eggs :yikes:. I placed the jar on the radiator cover and lo and behold ALL the wax worms pupated to a golden brown. I just looked in there and what did I see? Moths!! I recently purchased 250 waxworms (as the pet store mis-ordered) and found around 15 nicely pupated wax worms in there, so I threw them in the culture also. So my fellow Newbies, don't give up, when the conditions are correct, the culture will be successful. Good Luck!!! I will keep you posted on the final outcome.....jim
The first one I made to sticky and they all turned black and died.
The 2nd one I made the substrate more crumbly, they all turned black and died.
NOW, I do have some advise for anyone who has failed at starting the culture and all my fellow Newbies who would like to start a culture. YES, it does work; however, you MUST do the following:
1) use wheat or oats mixed with honey and glycerin, (GLYERIN to keep the honey soft) and make sure the substrate is moist but crumbly DON'T overdo the honey or the glycerin, [use 1 part glycerin to 4 parts honey], place the substrate in the jar, drop in around 25 waxworms, crumble some waxpaper and push it in the jar and seal the top (see below).
2) the container MUST be either placed in the dark OR the outside covered to block out the light (I used an old black sock and strectched it over the jar (bottom up to top). Then, use an old mesh type curtain (or material that breathes and will let air in), I keep it taut and in place with a rubberband twisted once (i.e. doubled) and slipped over the lip. 3) MOST IMPORTANT, they MUST HAVE HEAT, around 85°F, or the moths won't hatch. Don't worry about them mating, they are asexual and they ALL lay eggs :yikes:. I placed the jar on the radiator cover and lo and behold ALL the wax worms pupated to a golden brown. I just looked in there and what did I see? Moths!! I recently purchased 250 waxworms (as the pet store mis-ordered) and found around 15 nicely pupated wax worms in there, so I threw them in the culture also. So my fellow Newbies, don't give up, when the conditions are correct, the culture will be successful. Good Luck!!! I will keep you posted on the final outcome.....jim