Correspondence. 157


done the whole should be allowed to remain for a few months, when

on gently lifting the top layers of cloth, mealworms will be found feeding

between them.


"The rags, cork etc., and turf under these layers should never be

disturbed, as it is amongst these that the beetles la}' their eggs. Keep the

bin covered, renew the flour or meal on and between these top layers of

sacking occasionally to feed the worms, and they will soon be found in

sufficient quantities to supply any private person's aviary.


"The bin should be kept in a moderately warm and damp place. A

piece of crumb of bread soaked in beer is a great treat to mealworms, and

if placed on the top layer in the bin will quickly be covered with worms

and beetles and be shortly eaten up by them.


"Mealworms (like silkworms) pass through several stages, first eggs,

then worms, which throw off several skins whilst growing, then chrysalis,

finally developing into beetles, which like silkworm moths, lay their eggs

and die, their eggs being hatched the following season. It is necessary (to

ensure success) to procure beetles from some person who understands the

matter, as the insects are males and females, and some of each should be

obtained."



Sir, — In answer to Mr. Seth-Sniith's query as to the propagation of


mealworms, I used to breed them in their thousands years ago, in my early


days of aviculture, but I got out of the way of it somehow, as time went on.


I bought a hundred I think originallj r , and turned them down into a large


biscuit tin, with some tiny pierced holes in the lid, which should be a very


very close fitting one. I placed layers of barley meal and bran between


layers of crumpled-up blotting paper and rags, and scattered the mealworms


in between. The tin should not be more than three-parts full to start with,


because fresh meal must be added from time to time, but should remain


otherwise undisturbed for the best part of a year. It used to be kept on a


shelf in a cupboard by the side of the kitchen range, as warmth is an


essential all the year round. There may be a better way than this now for


this was years and years ago, but, anyway, I found it very successful at the


time.


N.B. — I kept the box carefully tied up in brown paper, I remember,


because "them grubs crawling about the kitchen cupboard" were not


calculated to make one popular in certain quarters. — E. A. H. Hartley.



Sir, — I have been asked to record my experience in breeding meal-

worms. I have been fairly successful, and think that with care and fore-

thought ample mealworms could be bred by the aviculturist, and so a not

unimportant item in the expenses saved.


My mealworms live in a large round wooden drum, half-filled with_

pieces of old soft sacking, brown paper and a good supply of oatmeal.



