21 replies to this topic

[mete]

EDIT- I would also not trust "organic" garden seed. Some of these could be treated with organic stuff like the bacteria Bacillus thurigensis, which is an organic way of killing insects. It is used to kill mosquito larvae, for example, after floodings and infestations. If in doubt, contact the producer if their seed are treated, the people in the store won't know. These seed are fine for buttlerflies, because they will visit the flowers, and not eat the seed which you plant in the ground.

 

I have asked to the manufacturer that I plan to use it to feed ants in an ant farm and if they are treated with anything synthetic or organic that can kill insects. The reply was it can be given to the ants and it is organic. TBH, I was expecting an indirect answer something like it is not treated but they cannot guarantee if it is safe to use for this purpose, but the answer was quite direct.

[mbullock42086]

 

commercially reared mealworms and fruitflies are all 100% infested with grain mites.  

  these big companies cut costs, use corn meal based medium, and as a result big time mite issues.

Avoid anything with millet, that's the worst one of all.

I'm not sure about their mealworms, but Josh's frog does treat mites before seeding their fruit fly cultures, however the fruit fly media eventually may get a mite egg to survive. I always use boiling water on the media, but you can't mix it 100% all the time. 

 

josh takes care of all his animals well, he actually cares about them.. when you deal in frogs and reptiles, you GOTTA be able to tackle mite issues.

  the only real way to destroy the eggs is either baking or subzero freezing.  standard freezers that stop at zero will not kill the eggs.