You can prepare a bait box for both breeding poultry to use as bait and for breeding compost worms. The worms thrive in a container made of pieces of paper and feed on vegetable scraps. This article will teach you how to build a small bait box for red larvae using plywood and fabric.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Build the structure of the bait box
Step 1. Purchase 6 pieces of 1.25cm plywood with the following characteristics:
- 2 pieces of 60x90cm for the top and bottom of the bait box.
- 2 pieces of 15x60cm for the short sides of the bait box.
- 2 pieces of 15x90cm for the long sides of the bait box.
Step 2. Place one of the 60x90cm boards upright on a flat surface
The board should be laid on the long side.
Step 3. Press a 15x60cm plank against one side of the large plank at a 90 degree angle
The 60cm sides should be against each other.
Step 4. With a hammer, nail the plywood to join the two boards
Leave about 10 cm between one nail and the other. Be sure to keep the sides perfectly aligned as you hammer.
Step 5. Place the other 15x60cm board on the opposite side of the base
Step 6. Join these 2 boards as well
When you are done, you will have created the base of your bait box and the 2 short sides.
Step 7. Attach the 15x90cm boards to form the remaining sides of the box
When you are done, you will have the open structure of your future bait box.
Method 2 of 3: Align the frame
Step 1. Turn the box over
The 60x90cm board should be on top.
Step 2. Drill at least 10 holes in this board
Step 3. Cut out a piece of black mesh fabric to cover the outside of the base
Step 4. Turn the box right
Cut out a piece of black mesh fabric to cover the inside of the base.
Step 5. Position the fabric against the inside of the base
With the stapler, secure the fabric to the base by applying staples along the perimeter of the fabric. This will prevent the worms from getting out of the box while still allowing them to breathe.
Step 6. Drill at least 10 more holes in the last 60x90cm board
Cover the top of the board with the fabric, and staple it in place. This board is the lid of your bait box, and for now you can put it aside.
Step 7. Cut or tear newspaper into 2.5cm strips for the bottom of the bait box
Avoid glossy magazine paper, as it is toxic to worms.
Step 8. Place the paper strips in the box
Sprinkle some water on the bottom so that it is moist but not soaked. Ideally, the interior should have 80% humidity.
Step 9. Add soil and peat moss so the worms can get their way and burrow
Method 3 of 3: Add the worms
Step 1. Place the bait box in an unlit area with a temperature between 15 and 27 C
Your worms can withstand temperatures between 4 and 32 C.
Step 2. Add approximately 0.9kg of red maggots to the soil
Step 3. Place the coated lid on top of the box to block out the light and keep the worms inside
The lid will also keep birds and other natural predators away.
Step 4. Turn on a light near your bait box
Red maggots do not like light, and it will get them used to staying in the dark box.
Step 5. Feed the worms with leftovers from your kitchen
0.9kg of worms will eat about half a kilo of waste per day.
Step 6. Remove the largest worms from the bait box approximately every 2 months
By doing this, you will check the size of the worm population. You can use them as bait if you want.
Advice
- The worms will turn the food into compost, which you can collect and use in the yard or garden.
- You can feed the worms daily or on a weekly basis. Place the food in a different place in the container each time when you feed them to speed up the composting process.
- Be sure to bury food scraps under the ground to avoid flies and other unwanted guests.
Warnings
- Be sure to use red larvae and not earthworms. Earthworms prefer to burrow deep and will not thrive in a shallow environment.
- Avoid leftover meat or animal products in your bait box. These leftovers will attract predators and could threaten the safety of your worms.
