Everlasting Waxworms | Waxworm culture at home

Another easy feeder to culture at home so that you never have to buy them again!
Waxworms are a great treat for reptiles and insectivores alike, so why not "grow" your own?
Check out my webblog; simonwildlife.blogspot.com/

[@Stothehighest]

Not sure what kind of gentle waxworms you have there. I had a batch and was obligated to keep them in a glass tank with a metal screen top. They *chewed through* the sides of plastic tubs and plastic screen. They chewed through the lid of the cup I got them in overnight. That being said, I never had happier giant danio, anoles or house geckos than when I'd let them have a fat well-fed worm. One particularly cool thing I noticed was that they made their own heat as they nested in the bedding (I made artificial honeycomb with honey, bran and melted beeswax on crumpled wax paper). They were particularly difficult to separate out when they pupaed (you really left off how cobby and sticky their cocoons are and that they will somehow figure out how to put themselves right under the lid without exception, which is not a nice surprise)

[@themantisgarden]

Sounds like you had graboids lol!!!

[@seansspoods9521]

This will actually come in handy, always looking to breed my own feeders, didn't even think about wax worms 👍🏻

[@themantisgarden]

Warning. If you don't remove the dead moths they stink lol

[@seansspoods9521]

@@themantisgarden I'll remember that cheers 👍🏻

[@VR_OP]

Amazing as always

[@k.l.manring2083]

Didn't know about the bee, honey connection with wax worms! No wonder my crested geckos love them! Had one given to me a complete mess. Tiny guy was so severely emaciated. Several wax worms and premium powdered diet, tiny fragile thing is healthy looking now! 😊

[@themantisgarden]

Oh, yes. Once you've fed them your lizard will love them. My mantids go crazy for them after they've been stuffed with honey. If you have mantis though don't give them very often as they contain a lot of fat that can be bad for them, not sure how it affects lizards.

[@SupremeGecko]

Oh! I have to try this!

[@tarantularamblings3149]

This was the video i needed right now . I did make an attempt art a wax worm culture last year with no success don't think i kept them warm enough . Currently i have half a tub in the fridge slowly dieing but now i know what to do with them , so thank you .

[@themantisgarden]

Be aware that when the moths come if you don't take the dead ones out it will stink like French cheese haha

[@tarantularamblings3149]

@@themantisgarden good tip , just waiting for the material to be delivered at the moment .

[@themantisgarden]

I have to make another culture of the bloody things soon, so many adult mantis here that they've cleared me out of moths haha

[@calrob300]

FYI I've put the adult moths in the tank w my lizard, who loves to chase and eat them. He seems uninterested in the larval wax worms now, which he really used to love. He seems to prefer meal worms or crickets ATM.

[@jmajick4415]

I'm trying 3/4" holes covered with 1" wide paper tape. Cheap and easy to replace when it gets dirty.

[@themantisgarden]

So many ways to do it! Love the pfp also.

[@PEMBYSGAMINGWORLD]

Yo! This kind of thing is popular on youtube buddy. Keep going.

[@themantisgarden]

Thanks, will do! If only you're loyal fan base would all pay me a visit haha!

[@calonsarjanaofficial.]

How is the development of waxworms, is it producing large numbers of waxworms now?

[@themantisgarden]

I actually stopped doing them and moved on to Morio worms, but yes, I always get a lot of them.

[@babarshahzad6764]

nice and informative video upon rearing of wax moth.I need to know one thing that when larvae pupate, where pupae should be transferred or either they should be kept in the same box in order to get adult emergence. Moreover, after adult emergence, should the moths be kept in the same box and diet or they need to be transferred to other box and upon different diet. Thankyou!

[@erikiacopelli451]

I live in Puerto Rico so they should turn to moths fast then

[@themantisgarden]

Lucky! I always wanted to visit there :(

[@chickenfist1554]

Mantis, bell joke, Sabbath shirt. Subbed.

[@themantisgarden]

Ah, I see you appreciate the finer things in life.

[@faunasanctum]

Hi buddy, at what point would you begin to change or replenish the honey/oats mix? I s it just a case of topping it up, or would it need periodic replacing?

[@themantisgarden]

I don't really bother to be honest. They never eat it all before they get to moths anyway.

[@rockylooner]

How long does it take for the wax worms to mature enough to feed them to pets?

[@themantisgarden]

Like all insects it's all down to temperature. The warmer they are, the faster they grow. At room temperature though I would give them several weeks after hatching (depending on the size of your pet, of course).

[@Ashlafler402]

Would old (hole-less) panty hose work for "screen"? I need something STAT

[@themantisgarden]

Yes, lol. If panty hose are the same as tights are in the UK 😂

[@rosedonnapur]

❤ thanks for the info will it mould or do I have to re make substrate muthly

[@themantisgarden]

Oh, no. They should never mould. You have to make sure you pick out the dead moths though or they will stink!

[@rosedonnapur]

@@themantisgarden amaIng thanks making it naw

[@kakakrabbypatty1234]

Is this a great way to feed mantids? I want to get back into keeping mantids, but don’t feel like continuously buying fly pupa

[@themantisgarden]

They love the moths, not a great idea to feed mantis with the larvae though but they're ok from time to time with one.

[@philipfish50]

I just bought some waxworms so I’m going to give it a try I suppose it doesn’t smell thanks

[@themantisgarden]

They do stink when the moths come mate. Although, it the smell is localised and only noticeable when you open it.

[@richardr3511]

Won't the wax worms get stuck to the honey?

[@themantisgarden]

They eat it mate

[@richardr3511]

@@themantisgarden it's supposed to be dry & crumbly before you put the wax worms in it. They can't eat it if they are stuck to it or move

[@themantisgarden]

If it is still runny then you're mixing it wrong. >.

[@richardr3511]

@@themantisgarden I hope my 4 waxworms successfully turn into moths. 2 have pupated, one small one turned grey insted of brown so not sure it's alive & 4th one disappeared.

[@themantisgarden]

Hit and miss like casters I'm afraid. Sometimes they almost all make it to adult, sometimes hardly any do.

[@paulb9769]

Is the 30 degrees a constant through all the cycles? I have pupa what temp is best? Is cheap honey ok?

[@themantisgarden]

Yes, mate. I buy the absolute cheapest value honey I can find, and 30C is good. They really like the heat as they normally live in bee hives.

[@paulb9769]

I am already at pupae stage is the method here still need doing or can it wait?@@themantisgarden

[@themantisgarden]

I'm a little confused by the question, but if you mean can you continue at 30C then yes, it's best to keep the temperature quite high. Don't forget to remove any dead moths are they stink to high heaven.

[@paulb9769]

I have about 15 pupae from my last box and was thinking of trying this. Do I follow the same method and place the pupae on the food mix? Thanks @@themantisgarden

[@themantisgarden]

If it just pupea you don't really need to bother with food. Just give them somewhere to lay their eggs once they're moths. Sorry about the delay, 100 things going on at once here lol

[@locpham-ie6ly]

Can someone tell me how I can keep wax worms survive in the fridge door? I tried and worms died

[@themantisgarden]

Fridge door? They need high temperatures to survive

[@locpham-ie6ly]

@@themantisgarden the reason I place them in the fridge door because after they hatched I got so many and I just want to keep them live for long time so I can feed my birds, the worms I buy from the dealer is no broblem in the fridge door, they can last for 2 months

[@themantisgarden]

Ah! I thought you was trying to breed the moths in the fridge lol Can you not just place them somewhere cool?

[@locpham-ie6ly]

@@themantisgarden but then they turn moths so quick

[@themantisgarden]

Um, not in the UK I take it then? Cellar? Pantry? Anywhere cool will slow them down.

[@antsonarock]

yummy

[@themantisgarden]

Old video! It need a revamp for more serious breeders - Coming soon!

[@serita9074]

Poriage oats? Is that the same as oatmeal?

[@themantisgarden]

I think so, yeah. Also, you can use oatmeal

[@maxwind1862]

Thanks for asking that!