Explosion of Mealworm Hatchlings?

[crazymealwormlady]

Hello, I am new to this blog, and I have a problem. I have been raising mealworms for a few months and they have gone through the stages all the way to actual new larvae. However, last night I noticed that there are thousands of tiny little white specs moving around outside my bin and on my walls, floor, everywhere. Can someone please take a look at the attached video and tell me if this looks like newly hatched mealworms? I have 8 drawers that I transferred eggs into. I have about 3 drawers that have differing stages of larvae growth (definitely mealworm larvae), but last night I found that these tiny little specs are everywhere. They are all over my bin cabinets and the walls and the floor. They are super tiny, and they are not staying in the bin with the wheat bran. They are literally everywhere. Can someone please advise me if these are truly mealworm hatchlings, and how I can go about getting them contained? Thank you for any advice!

 

[crazymealwormlady]

I don't think my video was uploaded. I tried a number of times but I can't see that it was included.

 

[Artichoke Lover]

I don't think my video was uploaded. I tried a number of times but I can't see that it was included.

Unfortunately you can’t upload videos directly to the site. You’ll need to upload it to a different site YouTube or imgur first and then link it.

 

[Perris]

Hello, I am new to this blog, and I have a problem. I have been raising mealworms for a few months and they have gone through the stages all the way to actual new larvae. However, last night I noticed that there are thousands of tiny little white specs moving around outside my bin and on my walls, floor, everywhere. Can someone please take a look at the attached video and tell me if this looks like newly hatched mealworms? I have 8 drawers that I transferred eggs into. I have about 3 drawers that have differing stages of larvae growth (definitely mealworm larvae), but last night I found that these tiny little specs are everywhere. They are all over my bin cabinets and the walls and the floor. They are super tiny, and they are not staying in the bin with the wheat bran. They are literally everywhere. Can someone please advise me if these are truly mealworm hatchlings, and how I can go about getting them contained? Thank you for any advice!

Even without the video I can tell you that they are not mealworms. Larvae don't leave the bran.

 

[SmiYa0126]

Even without the video I can tell you that they are not mealworms. Larvae don't leave the bran.

I wonder if flies layed eggs outside of the bran and now have hatched

 

[aart]

but last night I found that these tiny little specs are everywhere. They are all over my bin cabinets and the walls and the floor.

Probably grain mites.
What are you using as bedding?

Have had them in my feed almost every summer:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/grain-mites.981212/

 

[crazymealwormlady]

I'm using wheat bran and oat bran from a local health food store. I didn't notice this until last night. I started the with adult mealworms back in May or June and have had no trouble until now. I do have a lot of different sized larvae from the beetles though. So I thought they were just newly hatched mealworms. Do they come out of the egg looking like the tiny version of a mealworm? I keep trying to post a picture but it won't let me. I will look up grain mites and see if they look like what I have going on...if so, what should I do?

 

[aart]

I will look up grain mites and see if they look like what I have going on...if so, what should I do?

Look at my last post, there is a link to an thread I started long ago that has pics and video.
The only thing to do is get rid of the bedding...and get it out out of your house so it doesn't infest your food stuff.

 

[crazymealwormlady]

Look at my last post, there is a link to an thread I started long ago that has pics and video.
The only thing to do is get rid of the bedding...and get it out out of your house so it doesn't infest your food stuff.

Ok thank you very much. They do look like grain mites. Ugg...I did a lot of research before I started raising the mealworms and nothing said anything about making sure the grain was baked first . A learning experience for sure! Thank you for the response and pointing me in the right direction!

 

[SmiYa0126]

Ok thank you very much. They do look like grain mites. Ugg...I did a lot of research before I started raising the mealworms and nothing said anything about making sure the grain was baked first . A learning experience for sure! Thank you for the response and pointing me in the right direction!

Post back on your progress this is super interesting and a little gross, haha