The worm is a worm - who is it? How to get rid of flour worms

In a scientific flour worm is a larva of a beetle from the genus Tenebrio (lat.). His family is called Darkling. In Russian, the name of the beetle sounds very prosaic - the Khrushchak, and the larvae are called bones.

What kind of "beast"?

These insects can hardly be called inhabitants of a certain continent. They are carried around the world by food traders. Therefore, the Khrushchaks can be boldly assigned the status of cosmopolitans. 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 molt four times, with pleasure, eating 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 reasons is caused by 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 bones - 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. An interesting fact: a flour worm was already known in the first century BC. Pompey's companion, scientist, encyclopedist, tribune, writer and poet Mark Terentius Varro mentioned it as Tenebrion in his work De re rustica - "On Agriculture". He shared his first knowledge about what are flour worms.

The use of these creatures

Kostyanik, like the Khrushchak, for many - just a pest. 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 food. 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 a bait or a nozzle. Fishermen are guaranteed a good catch of roach, chub, red rind 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 in float fishing, as well as in floating equipment.

The flour worm is a commodity of increased demand in avian markets, in pet stores and, of course, in 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 unbeatable 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 grow a flour worm?

To begin with, it is necessary to equip the place of settlement and reproduction. 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.

Feed for some species of animals

Ready-made larvae can be used as pet food, sold through pet stores or bird markets. In addition, it is necessary to leave a certain number of bones for later production. In some 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 about their harmfulness. They can destroy foods, and also contaminate them with pelts that are thrown off by molting, and excrement. Their attacks are most susceptible to feed mills, mills, poultry farms, grain stores, etc.

At home, most often found in cereals 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.