The Worms

A critical shortage of mealworms Tenebrio molitor in pet stores began last month. Mealworms (shown at right), crickets, and other insects are widely used as pet food for birds and reptiles. The shortage is more problematic at this time of year because the birds are molting, and need more protein in their diet. The cause was reported by stores to be the flooding in the midwest United States. However, the actual cause may be more sinister as worm growers all across the country are having difficulty getting their worms to grow and reproduce.

The GMO

The recent trend to using GMO ( genetically modified organism) grain crops may be causing problems for growers who produce insects. GMOs are genetically engineered to resist insect damage.

Considering the current controversy, it is not easy to find unbiased information on this subject. About.com Biotech/Medical has a summary that describes the nature of the GMO.

"Super Worms" (shown at right) Zophobas Morio are still available, but in a smaller size. Previously, this species of worm was sold in much larger size, and the birds did not like them. These smaller worms seem to be more attractive to the birds.

Beaky Coot likes the smaller super worms. However, he will not turn his feet around to get a worm.

The small super worms are not nearly as fat as the regular mealworms of the same size.

Some turn to cockroaches like Blaptica dubias to feed their pets. They are a great feeder roach. The following link Question on Roach breeding describes this. These roaches can't climb or fly and don't move very fast. They are unlikely to survive unless kept in a warm and moist environment.

By the end of the month, Beaky is obsessed with the new super worms, and wants to eat nothing else. I hand feed him the worms, but if I ignore him, he will still eat oats, lettuce, and sliced watermelon. He completely refuses to eat corn.

The super worms are not refrigerated like mealworms, but are kept at room temperature. They can be kept in containers in wheat bran, with an open top . For breeding, regular mealworms are usually kept in wheat bran with slices of fruit for moisture thrown in. The lettuce works as well as fruit, and is cleaner. Surprisingly, the worms also readily eat the lettuce, and since the coot eats the lettuce also, I always keep some in the refrigerator.

Vitamins

A German dietary supplement called Pro-Feda is recommended for helping birds while molting. Beaky Coot will shed his wing feathers in July, and I have started adding small amounts of this to his usual drinking water (that is supplemented with a miltiple vitamin) every day.

Pro-Feda contains minerals like copper, zinc, and selenium that give it a metallic taste and a nasty smell, but he drinks it anyway.

He may get water anywhere he can find it, like this leaky hose. So it's impossible to be certain of dosage.

The Nest

This Floating PWC Dock has been the site of Beaky Coot's nest for the past three years.

He made his mate, Missy, sit on his nest in the spring of 2007. She sat on a tiny part of it for two days, and then she was gone. This spring she couldn't sit on it since it was completely covered by the Zodiac.

The coot builds and sits upon this pathetic nest every summer in a useless attempt to make the marina seem like home. His mate has been gone for three months. It must be satisfying and relaxing to him, since he persists in sitting on it, often nodding and dozing off to sleep. He cannot be distracted by calling him or offering food.

He always builds his nest in July, rather than in April. The reason for his being late is difficult to explain. It may be that his nesting starts late because this floating platform is usually covered by a Zodiac inflatable until the Independence Day holiday week.

Coots need a floating nest that is surrounded by water to discourage predators, and the nest must have a ramp for access from the water. The Jetdock is the only thing here that comes near to meeting those requirements. The first time this Jetdock appeared, the coot was quite excited about it, and he would stay over there and call to me whenever I walked by using the "come here" male coot short recognition call . I walked over there, and he showed me how he was collecting weeds and trash for his "nest".

The Ducks

The marina constructed this drinking fountain for the ducks. On the rare juncture when the streets, sidewalks, parking lots, and storm drains are not flooded with irrigation water, the ducks can get a drink here.

The Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos, is thought to be the prototype species of all ducks, and is very common in America and Euroasia. They are dirty, noisy; eat everything in front of them, and destroy everything behind them.

This fountain is an ugly eyesore, but the ducks don't seem to mind. The babies can even bathe in it.

The Blackbirds

Euphagus cyanocephalus, or Brewer's Blackbirds, have returned after several months of absence. A few of them seem to come directly to my boat in the morning to eat, as they did last fall. At times, I see them in large flocks on the grass lawns in the parks nearby.

I don't know the natural history of the blackbird, but they seem to be at least partially migratory and may spend winter in Mexico.This female appears to have been living "rough" over the winter. These birds are molting now, and show their ragged feathers more than other birds.

Big Picture:

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