RE: White worm culture

["Tranquility Base" <TranquilityBase at NetZero_Net>]

I culture my white worms in synthetic media (not foam rubber). My best
temperature ranges are 76 to 85 degrees. I can get over a pound a week if it
is warm enough. They slow in the low 70's and pick up again in the high 60's
Once the temp drops below 63 production slows down. But synthetic culturing
is very different than dirt cultures. In synthetic culture much of the
moisture is provided by humidity from the water bath as the medium actually
contains very little water. In soil cultures you get the moisture directly
from the soil. So if you are doing your worms in dirt or peat disregard the
temperature information I mentioned.

Back when I was doing dirt cultures, I do recall the worms surviving and
even producing in the summer. I kept them on the basement floor. It probably
went well over 70 degrees. I know that the mites seemed to like it warm. ;^)


With regard to food, powder baby food is excellent. But if you read the list
of ingredients on the package, the baby food is primarily oat meal. Baby
food costs about $3.00 per pound, oatmeal costs about $1.00 per pound. I
toss oatmeal into a blender or coffee grinder, set it on vaporize and make
my own baby/worm food. Works a treat.


Peace,

~RJ~

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-killietalk at aka_org [mailto:owner-killietalk at aka_org]On
Behalf Of Drkillinut at aol_com
Sent: Thursday, October 31, 2002 5:43 PM
To: killietalk at aka_org
Subject: Re: White worm culture


White worms seem to do best for me if kept in the warmest part of your
refrigerator, in a medium of moist African Violet mix and fed white bread
soaked in a solution of Baker's Yeast.  They won't die in warmer temps but
definately will not do well in a warm room for more than a few days.  After
1
wk. I scoop out the area where the bread was placed in the side of the
container(plastic shoe box) and let the media and wormssit over night or
longer.  As this dries the worms will ball up in a mass and can be fed to
the
fish over the next few days.   Don't worry they won't die at room temp!  Joe
in Al..


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