How to Raise Mealworms and Superworms

A guide on how to raise mealworms and superworms as food for birds and reptiles.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Bran
• Mealworms OR superworms

1. Obtain your mealworms or superworms. These can be bought at pet stores or in bulk online.

2. Purchase a plastic shoebox sized container with a lid. Mealworms and superworms cannot climb out, but a lid is useful to keep other animals out.

3. Pour about 2" of bran into the bottom of the container and add the mealworms or superworms.

4. For moisture you will need to add slices of fruits or vegetables on top of the bran. Potato and celery work particularly well. When they dry out or start to mold, throw them out and add new ones.

5. Place the culture in an area where it will not get any hotter than 90 degrees. If you are raising mealworms, this is all that is required.

6. For superworms, they will need to be separated before they can change into beetles, as superworms are cannibalistic and the others will eat them before they can change into adults. Pick out any that have reached 1.5" in size and place them in individual containers. Once they have changed into beetles approximately two weeks later, the beetles can be added back to the culture, or you can use them to start a new one.

Tips & Warnings

• Mealworms are small golden beetle larva. They pupate when approximately 1" long.
• Superworms are also a beetle larva, but they are longer and thicker, about 1.5". They also have a dark shading towards the tail and are much more active.
• If buying mealworms, make sure you do not buy the 'giant' variety, as these have been treated with a hormone to stop them from pupating. They will never develop into adults.
• Mealworms can be stored in the refrigerator, but superworms cannot. Low temperatures will kill them.