The scientific worm is a larva of the beetle of the genus Tenebrio (lat.). His family is called Darkling. In Russian, the beetle's name sounds very prosaic - the Khrushchak, and the larvae are called bones.
What kind of "beast"?
These insects can hardly be called dwellersa certain continent. They are carried around the world by food traders. Therefore, it is safe to assign the status of cosmopolitans to the Khrushchaks. And where do the "kids" of these beetles grow and develop? The fact that they are known as "flour", already gives a good clue. Females choose as a "incubator" for white eggs mills and bakeries, warehouses with flour products. And you can find the larvae under the troughs or nests in the chicken coops and pigeons. Kostyaniki are in the development stage for a year.
During this time they shed four times, withpleasure in tasting bran, bread, grains and flour. Do not disdain the "children" of the Khrushchaks and animal food. These are dried up corpses of birds and mice, the remains of feathers that come across in the nesting places of birds. Subsequently, the larvae pupate without a cocoon, and in July-August they turn into a half-centimeter brown, slightly shiny flat barbel.
The greatest interest in people for various reasonscauses just a flour worm. His appearance is unlikely to appeal to ordinary people. However, entomologists describe them with great sympathy. The length is 2.5-3 centimeters, some reach four. The color of the cylindrical trunk is brownish-yellow. There is no eye, but the bricks - the owners of three pairs of thoracic legs with claws. The body of the larvae ends with two hooks that look upwards, and below it are two small warts. This is a kind of pushing mechanism for movement. Interesting fact: the flour worm was known already in the first century BC. Pompey's companion, scientist, encyclopedist, tribune, writer and poet Mark Terentius Varro referred to him as Tenebrion in his work De re rustica - "On Agriculture." He shared his first knowledge of what are flour worms.
The use of these creatures
Kostyanik, like the Khrushchak, for many - onlypest. But inveterate fishermen, as well as owners of birds and amphibians know about the useful purpose of larvae. Reptiles, birds, amphibians, invertebrates with great pleasure use them for food. Using larvae as food, it should be remembered that this is a very high-calorie meal. For example, if you give wavy parrots more than five individuals a day, a winged friend can quickly gain excess weight, which leads in combination with low mobility to obesity.
Another purpose of the bricks is baitor nozzle. Fishermen are guaranteed a good catch of roach, chub, rudd, and other non-predatory fish. Due to a fairly rigid shell, the larva does not fly off, holding firmly on any hook. Use it in the bottom, and float fishing, as well as in floating equipment.
Flour worm is a commodity of increased demand forbird markets, pet stores and, of course, fishermen. You can buy it regularly, even make stocks. The larvae are kept very long, up to several weeks. The main thing is to follow simple rules: temperature regime, good ventilation. But there is another win-win option for those who use bricks constantly or want to earn extra money. Cultivation at home. This process does not require large financial investments and physical and time costs.
How to breed a flour worm?
To begin with, it is necessary to equip the place of settlement andreproduction. Depending on the volume of future production, these can be special trays or large boxes that do not have cracks, walls and the bottom of which are better tied with tin. The cover in both the first and second cases should be a lattice with very small holes. The bottom is covered with bran, flour, sawdust, ground breadcrumbs in a layer of centimeters at 5-10. On top, you can put sheets of thick paper or cardboard.
The next stage is the acquisition of producers,beetles-hruschaks. You can use pupae, but in this case the first step of the process will take considerably longer. Families are prepared for breeding. The number of individuals depends on the desired result.
Conditions for breeding worms
Two months later, from the moment of laying eggs, flour worms appear from the eggs of beetles. Breeding of larvae requires several conditions:
- humidity - the desired index is not more than 50 percent;
- The temperature regime is optimally 26-28 degrees, but not lower than 20 degrees.
Feeding
Feed the mothers better grated carrots,potatoes, beets, other vegetables. A new refreshment should be poured once in two days, mixed in bran. In addition, as a protein food, you can give pieces of raw or boiled fish and daphnia.
Food for some species of animals
Ready-made larvae can be used as feed forpets, sell through pet stores or bird markets. In addition, it is necessary to leave a certain number of bricks for later production. In separate containers with similar conditions, selected individuals are located, which then pupate and grow up to beetles. You can start the process again. Khrushchaks eat vegetables and fruits, only to feed them should be once or twice a day, while it is desirable, of course, to remove the remains of the previous meal.
How to get rid of a pest?
Speaking of larvae and beetles, one must remember theirharmfulness. They can destroy foods, and also contaminate them with pelts that are thrown off by molting, and feces. Their attacks are most susceptible to feed mills, mills, poultry farms, grain stores, etc.
At home, most often found ingroats and flour. But not so he is terrible, a flour worm. How to get rid of it? Carefully close all containers where the food is exposed. If pests have already wound up, then a loose product should be sifted. That's all.
A small conclusion
Now you know who the flour worm is, what it feeds and how it multiplies. We hope that this information will help you in the future, if you want to cultivate it.
