If you’re looking for the perfect, protein-rich treat for your garden birds, look no further than live mealworms!
Mealworms are the larvae of the flour beetle, a native British insect that eats flour, meal, grain and other similar crops. They are made up of approximately 50% protein and 50% water, making them an excellent source of nutrition and hydration for wild birds.
If you like the sound of feeding your garden birds live mealworms but feel intimated by the storage and care processes involved, don’t fret! Here at Really Wild Bird Food, we have created this easy guide on how to store and keep live mealworms alive – keep reading to learn more!
Why Are Live Mealworms Good for Birds?
While both dried and live mealworms are high in protein and healthy fats, live mealworms are juicer and have a higher moisture content that is beneficial to adult birds and their young, particularly during breeding season.
The movement of live mealworms also helps to stimulate a bird’s natural instinct to hunt and forage, which can be particularly important for young birds and those raising fledglings.
How Can I Expect to Receive Live Mealworms?
Your live mealworms will most likely arrive in plastic tubs inside a cardboard box or in a polypropylene bag with a cable tied top. Don’t worry if the plastic tubs don’t have any air holes, as the lids are made from breathable material so the mealworms will be just fine!
How Should I Store Live Mealworms?
You will want to store your live mealworms in a large, smooth-sided, plastic container – cat litter trays work well! Metal containers or containers that are too small can cause the mealworms to overheat, suffocate and die, and cardboard or wooden containers are easy for mealworms to chew or wriggle their way out of.
Try to store the mealworms so that they are at a maximum depth of 2 inches – this should prevent a build up of their waste material and any unpleasant smells.
The live mealworms should be sent to you in bran, which is their main food source. This bran can be used as their dry bedding, and substituted with cornmeal, oatmeal or wheat bran if it needs topping up. You can also give them small amounts of sliced carrots for a tasty treat!
The best place to store live mealworms is in a cool, dark, well-ventilated and dry place, ideally at a temperature of between 8-10 degrees. If kept at this temperature, they can survive for 2-3 weeks. If you want them to last a little longer, you can also keep them in the warmest part of your fridge – don’t worry, mealworms are clean and odourless!
Once you’re happy with your storage set up, simply take a handful or two out every time you feed the birds and offer them in one of our mealworm feeders! Your garden birds are sure to love you for all the effort you put in!
If you have any other questions on how to store or care for live mealworms, please get in touch with us at Really Wild Bird Food and a member of our team will be happy to help!
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