[NatureNS] Oriole Flock, Halifax -> mealworms

From: GayleMacLean <duartess@EastLink.ca>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Date: Wed, 14 Jan 2015 05:19:58 -0400
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Hi Steve=2C
 =

I over-wintered an Orange-crowned Warbler in my backyard here in Dartmou=
th from November until early in May of the following year feeding it hom=
emade =27bird=27 plumb pudding=2C suet cakes but mostly live meal worms=2E=
 I did as Susann described=2C present the live meal worms on top of a sm=
all tupperwear container filled with hot water on a small wicker hanging=
 tray close to where the warbler had its hidey hole in an old tree at th=
e same time every day=2C just after sunrise and just before sunset=2C so=
 not to have competition from (mostly) Black-capped Chickadees=2E It ref=
used to eat the canned mealworms that you can get at pet stores=2E  It w=
anted to capture the wiggly ones=2E It would wait for me every single da=
y=2C making its chipping sounds=2C demanding its dinner! Susann also pro=
vided me with some adult mealworms to start my own farm which was very h=
elpful=2E I kept them in a kitty-litter box down in the basement by our =
furnace=2E The adults just stayed in the box in the bed of oat bran =26 =
I fed them carrots=2C potatoes and used damp used teabags=2E I covered t=
he tray with an old screen from a window=2E Worked like a charm! I also=2C=
 thanks to Susann=2C attempted=2C but with much less success=2C to over =
winter several Baltimore Orioles but the competition from the Starlings =
was just too great=2C despite having several Oriole cages that Susann al=
so=2C lent to me=2E =

 =

Sincerely=2C
 =

Gayle MacLean
Dartmouth
 =

 =

On 01/13/15 11=3A17 PM=2C Susann Myers =3Cmyerss=40eastlink=2Eca=3E wrot=
e=3A =

=3E  =

=3E Hi=2C Steve=2E
=3E =

=3E Yes=2C these are live mealworms=2E  As soon as orioles appear at my =
feeders=2C generally in November=2C I work on getting them used to a reg=
ular feeding schedule=2C partly to avoid conflicts with starlings=2E  Th=
e orioles are waiting to pounce at feeding time and=2C as you suggest=2C=
 the mealworms are not exposed to cold temperatures for more than a coup=
le of minutes=2E  I provide them to the birds in clay saucers=2C which I=
 bring in to warm up between feedings - it would seem too much like meal=
worm torture=2C otherwise=2E
=3E =

=3E If I want to leave mealworms out for longer periods=2C I put them in=
 my large bird-feeding cage=2C which has a heated floor - the heater is =
a string of =22old-fashioned=22 outdoor Christmas lights=2E  I=27ve hear=
d of others in the past providing mealworms in a saucer on top of a cont=
ainer of hot water=2C for instance for a warbler that was going to pop i=
nto a concealed feeding station occasionally through the day=2E
=3E =

=3E I raise some mealworms myself=2C in colonies with all stages includi=
ng the beetles=2C and friends have been supplying me with welcome additi=
ons this winter=2E  But I also buy some - have just placed an order with=
 SuperCricket in Saskatchewan=2C which has been a reliable supplier in t=
he past=2E
=3E =

=3E Don Codling in Sackville has developed an awesome system for raising=
 mealworms=2C and storing them in the refrigerator in cold-arrest=2E  I=27=
m much less disciplined=2E
=3E =

=3E If you=27d ever like to contribute blowfly larvae to a worthy cause=2C=
 the orioles would be delighted!
=3E =

=3E Cheers=2C
=3E Susann
=3E =

=3E --------------------------------------------------
=3E From=3A =22Stephen Shaw=22 =3Csrshaw=40Dal=2ECa=3E
=3E Sent=3A Tuesday=2C January 13=2C 2015 9=3A24 PM
=3E To=3A =3Cnaturens=40chebucto=2Ens=2Eca=3E
=3E Subject=3A RE=3A =5BNatureNS=5D Oriole Flock=2C Halifax -=3E mealwor=
ms
=3E =

=3E =3EAre the mealworms live (presumably)=3F  If so=2C how do you preve=
nt them from freezing together and to the container into a hard solid ma=
ss=2C within a couple of minutes at these temperatures=3F  If alternativ=
ely they are dead/individually frozen already=2C I can see how they woul=
d stay as separate objects=2C but I thought that they=27d then be less a=
ttractive to birds if immobile and not wriggling=2E  Or are your birds s=
o well experienced that they are waiting for you to put out the larvae s=
o they pounce immediately=3F
=3E =3EI periodically breed fly larvae on liver (of big blowflies=2C Cal=
liphora) and this afternoon I had raised far too many=2C so put half of =
them out in an open container=2E These froze almost immediately as expec=
ted=2C as above --  I had no expectant birds waiting=2C though=2E
=3E =3ESo it would be nice to know how you or others deliver these mealw=
orms=2C dead or alive=3F
=3E =3EAnd who sells them=2C or do you raise them yourself and not let t=
hem go through all the way to adult beetles=2C using cold-arrest=3F  I d=
on=27t know much about rearing them=2E
=3E =3ESteve (Halifax)
=3E =3E=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=
=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F
=3E =3EFrom=3A naturens-owner=40chebucto=2Ens=2Eca =5Bnaturens-owner=40c=
hebucto=2Ens=2Eca=5D on behalf of Susann Myers =5Bmyerss=40eastlink=2Eca=
=5D
=3E =3ESent=3A Tuesday=2C January 13=2C 2015 8=3A02 PM
=3E =3ETo=3A naturens=40chebucto=2Ens=2Eca=3B Ns-Rba=40Yahoogroups=2ECom=

=3E =3ESubject=3A =5BNatureNS=5D Oriole Flock=2C Halifax
=3E =3E
=3E =3EThe number of Baltimore Orioles tending my feeders in Halifax gre=
w from 7 to 9 in mid-December=2E  All 9 are still doing well=2C eating l=
arge amounts of grape jelly=2C peanut butter =22suet=22 and mealworms=2E=

=3E =3E
=3E =3EThere are another 2 orioles tending feeders (including Patricia C=
halmers=27) on Elm Street=2C about 4 blocks from mine=2E
=3E =3E
=3E =3ESusann Myers
=3E =3E
=3E =

=3E 

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=3CDIV=3EHi Steve=2C=3C/DIV=3E=3CDIV=3E=26nbsp=3B=3C/DIV=3E=3CDIV=3EI ov=
er-wintered an Orange-crowned Warbler=26nbsp=3Bin my backyard here in Da=
rtmouth from November until=26nbsp=3Bearly in May of the following year =
feeding it homemade =27bird=27 plumb pudding=2C suet cakes=26nbsp=3Bbut =
mostly live meal worms=2E I did as Susann described=2C present the live =
meal worms on top of a small tupperwear container filled with hot water=26=
nbsp=3Bon a small wicker hanging tray close to where the warbler had its=
 hidey hole in=26nbsp=3Ban old tree at the same time every day=2C just a=
fter sunrise and just before sunset=2C so not to have competition from (=
mostly) Black-capped Chickadees=2E It refused to eat the canned mealworm=
s that you can get at pet stores=2E =26nbsp=3BIt wanted to capture the w=
iggly ones=2E It would wait for me every single day=2C making its chippi=
ng sounds=2C demanding its dinner! Susann also provided me with some adu=
lt mealworms to start my own farm which was very helpful=2E I kept them =
in a kitty-litter box down in the basement by our furnace=2E The adults =
just stayed in the box in the bed of