# waxworm colony questions



## soloth (Oct 17, 2007)

i recently started a 'colony' ( i use the term loosely, it's just a box with waxworms in it kept at the back of my wardrobe!) but i'm not sure if they're breeding. the worms turned into moths fine and there's loads flying around in there, but i can't see any eggs. 
i can see a load of yellow stuff spread around the sides of the tub, and i've seen some moths go and 'lay' it. is this eggs? the tub is getting dirty and i want to change the shavings and clean it out but i don't want to disturb anything that might be growing.

thanks a lot


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## mark-cop (Jun 18, 2006)

the moths will lay their eggs in the crevice where the lid is.that will more likely be the yellow residue you see.you dont mention if you have put a food mixture in as this will determine if you succeed or not.i do have a breeding guide for waxy's somewhere.if you need it i will try to find it for you
mark


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## blue-saphire (Oct 22, 2007)

are waxies like mealworms? i wouldn't mind breeding them. anything special you did? how big is the tub that you have?


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## soloth (Oct 17, 2007)

i used just a load of wheetabix and bran, didn't have any honey at the time, is it needed?

if you could send me the guide it would be much appreciated.

not all was wasted though as the moths made a nice treat for the yemen


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## mark-cop (Jun 18, 2006)

ok soloth,hope your yemen enjoyed them.yes honey is required,heres what i have,*far below* as i have lost the link but kept the text.a friend of mine bred these for years so i can get more info if needed but i think this just about sums it up.
pls let me know how you get on with your colony,
mark. 
recipe:......

Waxworm larvae are very high in fat and protein and are an excellent food source for fish, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates. Raising waxworms in captivity is a little more complicated than raising mealworms or superworms, since the moths, unlike the beetles, can fly away and are more difficult to confine, but if properly cared for and raised they are a superior food source. 
Waxworms can be purchased from mail order bait supply companies, and can also sometimes be found in pet stores that cater to exotic animals. They are usually sold in refrigerated tubs that contain 25 or 50 worms. 
You will need an "artificial honeycomb" to raise these larvae. A good substitute can be made by mixing equal parts of bran or oatmeal glycerine and honey to form a thick paste. Allow this to dry out and break it into small chunks, and line the bottom of a plastic sweater box or aquarium with about an inch of this mixture. Place the waxworms in. They will tunnel into the bran/honey chunks, eating as they go. Once the larvae reach about three fourths of an inch in length, they will spin themselves a cocoon and pupate. After two weeks, an adult moth will emerge. The adult moths live only a week or so, just long enough to mate and lay eggs. If you place a few crumpled balls of waxed paper or some chunks of beeswax (beeswax candles can substitute) inside the cage, the moths will lay their eggs inside these. The larvae take about five weeks to reach full size. Both the larvae and the moths can be used as food for scorpions and centipedes.


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## blue-saphire (Oct 22, 2007)

thanks mark pm coming your way
does anyone know a cheap place online to get decent waxies


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## soloth (Oct 17, 2007)

thank you very much mark, i did read about using honey somewhere but didn't have any about at the time

about to start all over again, with some honey this time 

so hopefully we'll have a result


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## pecks (Dec 29, 2007)

If you are going to culture them do it in large glass jars as plastic sweats. Honey, wheatmeal, bran and a grating of beeswax on top when the other are mixed. Include some rolls of corrugated cardboard for the larvae to crawl on/pupate. Mesh lid with a tea strainer in it with a damp sponge. females start laying almost as soon as they hatch.


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## LFG (Apr 2, 2007)

In addition to the above, leaving your culture in a warm, dark place such as an airing cupboard will vastly increase your output and the speed at which the culture produces adult waxworms.... it's also worth noting that waxworms can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 months, so when yopur waxworms get to the right size, put most in the fridge to use as required, and a few in a new culture to start the process all over. This way you can also have a few different sizes refrigerated at the appropriate stage of development for smaller frogs, geckos, mantis, etc.

Another important thing to be aware of is moisture. Waxworms do not require any watering / misting / etc and this will quickly kill a culture. Cultures will need some form of ventilation (opening the lid and letting some fresh air in ever day or two will suffice) to avoid condensation from forming, but be sure any air holes are small enough to keep the babies in... a fine wire mesh is best, the babies are tiny.


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