# Mealworms



## Pan (Nov 5, 2013)

I am considering dropping mealworms on our guests next year, I imagine people jumping out of their skin. Has anyone ever tried this technique or similar?


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## Will Reid (Sep 2, 2013)

xx


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## Hauntiholik (May 17, 2006)

That may cross the line of the "touch nothing and nothing will touch you" mantra.


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## Pan (Nov 5, 2013)

Thank you for your input Will, may I ask why you would not?


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## Will Reid (Sep 2, 2013)

xx


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## daytime (Nov 5, 2013)

I would like to see video of that... I don't have the cojones, might get sued


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## Pan (Nov 5, 2013)

I do see the point about things touching people, but I am sure there are "no touch" haunts that use those ankle ticklers, something we also intend on using this coming year. We do want to retain the "no touch" policy between guest and actors. How might we warn people of this potential without giving away the surprise? This is a wooded trail, so there is chance of creepy crawlies landing on you otherwise.


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## Copchick (Apr 10, 2012)

Hmm, my thought would be: don't drop the mealworms on people. The difference in what you were referring to before regarding ankle ticklers and such is that these are live, not mechanical means for startlingly. If they drop onto people, they may carry them away with them in their clothing or hair unknowingly, into their homes. If I were to bring them into my house because of a haunted attraction, you can bet there will be some bad publicity with angry parents, which I'm sure you don't need. Personally, I'd use them for bait. Think of others ways to scare people. Oh and by the way, I've been in the woods many, many times. I haven't had creepy crawlies fall on me besides the annoying skeeters. Just sayin'.


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## corey872 (Jan 10, 2010)

Ya, just seems like there is some 'line' when live stuff is involved. Ankle tickler...plastic tubes, OK. Worms, spiders, cockroaches, other bugs...meh, just something weird there. Sort of like you can saw a leg off a table...no big deal.. saw a leg off a dog..it's that 'live' factor again.

Would it be possible to use gummy bears, gummy worms, jelly beans, etc? That might achieve the same effect without the 'line crossing' factor. Might actually be easier to get, easier to clean up and easier to control for you as well.


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## Pan (Nov 5, 2013)

Thank you for the input Copchick, and love your sig  Had not considered potential of carrying any of them home, but we do not get many kids down the trail. We have separate family area, with black light maze, games, pumpkin and face painting. I wanted to create sensation of something crawling on our guests and mealworms seemed most innocuous. Any suggestions on creating a skin crawling effect without living critters, or maybe dropping something inanimate? It is for an area with a spider theme, and I get dozens of them on me every time I walk through the woods.


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## Mattimus (Oct 23, 2013)

corey872 said:


> Would it be possible to use gummy bears, gummy worms, jelly beans, etc? That might achieve the same effect without the 'line crossing' factor. Might actually be easier to get, easier to clean up and easier to control for you as well.


I love the gummy idea!

If I were to use real mealworms, I think having them encased somehow (jar, buckets, etc...) would make them viewable and creepy at the same time. :eeketon:


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## Pan (Nov 5, 2013)

Thanks for the suggestions Corey and Mattimus, I can't believe I did not have one dissenting view when I shared my idea with rest of the committee. Will have to think of something organic though, at least with the mealworms the birds would have helped with cleanup.


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## Hauntiholik (May 17, 2006)

How about dropping plastic spiders?


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## Copchick (Apr 10, 2012)

How about birdseed or sunflower seeds? Have a worker, or something above dropping a sparse handful. If it's dark and they feel something drop on them it will be something not live and the birds and wildlife can help with clean up.


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## Pan (Nov 5, 2013)

I like the birdseed idea, if someone is already on edge, anything landing on them should get same effect. I was planning on a motion activated hopper to accomplish the task and control flow rate. If I could get some plastic spiders to drop on some "webs" when then hopper door opens and rise back when door closes. Spiders in the face and seeds down their neck could produce the required response.


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## Sytnathotep (Oct 10, 2011)

It would seem to me that any of the assortment of rubber/plastic fishing worms/bugs from stores like Walmart would work just as effectively. While I imagine it would be highly amusing to watch the reactions of people while you throw live bugs on them :laughvil:, sadly most people tend to get all pissy when they suddenly and unwillingly find themselves as Fear Factor contestants. (Maybe its the lack of prize money, I don't know:googly

Now one of the biggest things that also unnerves people in the woods at dark is walking into spiderwebs. Perhaps at some point in the hike have the visitors walk thought some dangling, hard to see loose thread or or fishing line.


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## Spooky1 (Aug 25, 2008)

Using any living critter is probably a bad idea. You may end up offending a PETA member.


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## Pan (Nov 5, 2013)

We have used the dangling threads every year Sytnathotep, do not want to just drop plastic, because I would have to go pick it all up.
Thank you for the recommendation Spooky, but offending a PETA member would never concern me.


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## DandyBrit (May 23, 2013)

I threw cooked rice in small amounts - it certainly made people react when it went down their necks in a very dark woodland - and the birds would probably pick up any stray bits afterwards.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Well, from the mealworms' perspective, it's not a good idea

The birdseed recommendation is a great all-around suggestion because it's relatively inexpensive, easy to carry, and eminently biodegradable if the birds and squirrels don't get to it first. Combine that with the dangling threads and people are going to be convinced a spider dropped onto them.


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## The Pod (Sep 15, 2009)

Pan said:


> Thank you for your input Will, may I ask why you would not?


For one, you are dealing with a living creature and unless you are protecting them from being unnecessarily killed you will most likely have members of PETA knocking on your door and shutting you down for cruelty to animals. Years ago, I did a room in a haunted house using live roaches crawling under peoples feet. After the first night we opened, PETA contacted us, came out and we had to show them that the roaches were contained in safe plexiglass trays and that there was no way they could be squished or unnecessarily killed by people stepping on them. Plus I showed them that they were taken out and home nightly to be fed and well kept for.

If you wanted to have a bowl of live mealworms crawling around and offer them as a snack for people to eat or you eat them in front of them to gross them out, that's not an issue because they are being used for food. Or order them already prepared from Hotlix. The chocolate covered ones are extremely delicious and I would highly recommend them.


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## Sytnathotep (Oct 10, 2011)

Pan said:


> We have used the dangling threads every year Sytnathotep, do not want to just drop plastic, because I would have to go pick it all up.


That makes a good point. Have you thought then of maybe breaking spaghetti noodles into 1-2 inch lengths, cooking and draining it, and dropping that on guests? Same size and slimy feel of real worms, without having to pick it up after.


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## Death Wraith (Mar 23, 2006)

If you have $3000 you could get this setup that drops maggots (rice) on your patrons. I've walked through this in an area haunt and it's cool and effective.

http://www.hauntedprops.com/product-p/maggot%20mayhem.htm


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## Mattimus (Oct 23, 2013)

DandyBrit said:


> I threw cooked rice in small amounts - it certainly made people react when it went down their necks in a very dark woodland - and the birds would probably pick up any stray bits afterwards.





Sytnathotep said:


> That makes a good point. Have you thought then of maybe breaking spaghetti noodles into 1-2 inch lengths, cooking and draining it, and dropping that on guests? Same size and slimy feel of real worms, without having to pick it up after.


I love the cooked rice/noodle idea. When a grain of sticky rice lands on your neck, you would rightly so freak out!


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## Sirius (Jul 18, 2009)

I love where your head's at, Pan. In the right environment, with just the right crowd, the mealworms would go over nicely. Sadly, most of us can't trust our audiences that much. I think the spaghetti or rice is your best bet, and I'd keep it nice and wet and cold until it's time to drop it. Maybe place "carcasses" of small animals that fell victim to the spiders overhead, and the fake worms could fall out of them, or from nearby them?

One year I cut some white plastic fishing worms(cheap) into short pieces and placed them so that they would fall out of the folds of my zombie costume as I moved. A few in my mouth to wiggle out at the right time, and it was quite effective.


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