Flown the Nest

Apparently my bluebird babies fledged while I was away this past weekend so I missed it. :-(   Mama and Papa are still around, eating and taking lots of mealworms up to a very high tree in my neighbor's backyard so I am guessing that’s where my little chicks are.  I haven’t even laid eyes on them! 

I have officially become mealworm farmer.   Yesterday I received  a little package in the mail from mealworm farming aficionado, Sefferdog, with my mealworm starter kit.  I spent the morning reading and watching videos about mealworm farming.  I have to admit, I had a little trouble wrapping my brain around it all, trying to figure out exactly what supplies I would need.  Finally, I came across a series of 8 short videos that told me everything I needed to know including what set up would be best.  Off I went to the Container Store and found exactly what I needed.  I stopped at the organic food store for my oats, corn meal, and carrots, and then to the Wild Bird Store for some more live mealworms since it will be a while before I have a harvest of my own.  I decided the laundry room in the basement would be the best place for it, since it is consistently warm and mostly dark, except when I do laundry.  When my husband came home I showed it to him so he wouldn’t be freaked out by it (not that he ever goes into the laundry room, but just in case.)  He seemed OK with the idea after I assured him that the beetles and worms can’t climb out. I am now quite fascinated by it all, and find myself wanting to watch the beetles.  He's calling it my science project.  I know, my friends are going to scratch their heads when they hear about this one and think I've really gone off the deep end. 


Oh yes, and my blip…this is a European Starling with iridescent breeding plumage.