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Jeffery Jago is a expert in horticulture and worm breeding. With a background in plant cultivation
Last Updated on July 10, 2021 by Jeffery Jago
This is an article you asked for, the most common questions we get about wax worms.
There is some pretty neat stuff you might not know.
Do Wax Worms Need to Be Refrigerated?
Waxworms don’t need to be refrigerated, In fact, The average consumer fridge would kill them fairly quickly. With that being said, You should attempt to keep your wax worms at 60°f (15°c) to maximize their longevity. Depending on how cold your fridge is, you could potentially place them on the door.
If your fridge has an ice maker, Most likely the warmest place is going to be the bottom, Otherwise, Cold air sinks and the uppermost shelf should be the warmest safe place.
If you have a fridge that circulates air evenly, You might be out of luck. Consider buying a mini-fridge to store your feeder insects in.
You Can Go Ice Fishing With Wax Worms
Ice fishing is a popular sport, and they take the bait they use very seriously. Waxworms just happen to make the top of the list for best ice fishing bait.
Along with looking like a worm, They move around and do not freeze solid when temperatures get too cold. This is perfect for the fisherman who has to use live bait in very cold climates.
So if you ever find yourself going ice fishing one year and forget to buy the bait, Feel free to grab a handful from your lizard room, you won’t regret it!
It’s Not Actually Made Of Wax
The easiest way to tell people that what they are looking at is not actually made of wax, Nevertheless, It’s called a waxworm.
The Worms do look like they’re made of wax and many people do assume it’s an actual worm that secretes wax due to how the exoskeleton is, But no, it’s just part of their diet.
That’s not even how they got their name. In fact, they got it from being a type of parasite that thrives inside bee colonies. The adult moth will sneak and lay her eggs inside the hive in a dark hidden spot.
When they hatch, the larvae will begin to eat the wax the bees secrete.
Do wax worms eat plastic?
It has been recently discovered that waxworms are capable of eating certain plastics such as polyethylene.
That’s not even the craziest part.
Once the special bacteria inside the waxworm breaks down the plastic, it produces a secretion of glycol! The worm literally eats plastic and poops out alcohol.
Nope, I’m Not Kidding
Just imagine the applications for something like this!
You can read more about that here