Dried Mealworms

Dried Mealworms should be soaked in water before being fed - especially during the breeding season and spells of dry weather. During the summer months, the ground is often too dry for earthworms to rise to the surface of the ground. These would usually provide a hydrating and nutrient-dense food source for ground-feeding birds, like Starlings, Robins and Blackbirds. Placing soaked dried mealworms on or near the ground can encourage these birds into your garden.

The moisture content of Live Mealworms is very beneficial to birds, especially during breeding, nesting and fledging seasons, when parent birds will feed worms to their young. This is why it is essential to soak Dried Mealworms in water for at least 30 minutes before putting them out.

You can feed Dried Mealworms to birds using a variety of methods

Most garden birds which eat insects are happy to search the ground for their food, so this is a natural way to feed Dried Mealworms. While Live Mealworms must be fed using a special feeder, you can simply sprinkle Dried Mealworms on the ground. Make sure to do this away from bushes and shrubs to avoid cats.

Live food, like mealworms, can sometimes be harmful to other animals in their dried form. Hedgehogs, for example, will readily eat them, but this can result in severe health issues. If you get visits from Hedgehogs in your garden or you are wary of this happening, you can place mealworms on a bird table instead.

You should soak Dried Mealworms in clean water before putting them into your garden for feeding. This is especially important during hotter periods and the fledging and breeding seasons.

We recommend soaking Dried Mealworms for at least 30 minutes in clean water, though up to 24 hours is even better, as this ensures they soak up as much water as possible.

Follow the method below to rehydrate Dried Mealworms:

Put the Dried Mealworms into a bowl.

Pour clean water over the Dried Mealworms.

Make sure it is covering the worms evenly.

The mealworms should float on top of the water. Once this happens, leave them for as long as possible, up to 24 hours is best.

If you have a limited time, leave the mealworms to soak for at least 30 minutes.

Dried Mealworms will last for several months when stored, provided they are kept in a sealed container in a cool, dark place.

No. Unlike Live Mealworms, Dried Mealworms like these do not come back to life once they are soaked. They are not dormant or living once they have been dried, because they are completely dead. The reason for soaking them is to provide more moisture for birds that consume them.