Live mealworms from Wiggly Wigglers aren’t just bird food—they’re often a lifeline for your feathered friends. Whether it’s giving your hens the protein boost they need during moulting, attracting robins and blackbirds to your garden, or enriching your soil with frass, these wriggly wonders do it all. Delivered fresh, carefully weighed to order, and packed in plain recyclable paper bags, our mealworms are a sustainable, nutritious treat that’ll have your wildlife thriving and your garden glowing.

Why Feed Live Mealworms All Year Round?

Live mealworms aren’t just a summer fling—they’re the ultimate multi-season snack for wildlife and poultry alike. Here’s why:

1. Feather Recovery: The Moulting Season Must-Have (Late Summer to Autumn)

Birds and hens go through moulting like a proper makeover—shedding old feathers and growing new ones. But this process takes serious protein power, as feathers make up 4–12% of their body weight.

• Live mealworms (50% protein!) are ideal for helping birds and hens regrow feathers quickly and stay in peak condition.
• Hens, in particular, benefit from mealworms to speed up recovery and look less like half-plucked pillows.

2. Nestlings and Fledglings: Spring’s Protein Punch

When breeding season rolls around, live mealworms are like baby food for birds. Hydrating, protein-rich, and easy to digest, they’re perfect for helping nestlings grow strong and keeping busy parents well-fed.

3. Survival in Tough Weather

• In dry spells, ground-feeding birds like blackbirds can’t find their usual diet of earthworms. Live mealworms step in as a much-needed source of nutrition and hydration.
• In winter, when insects are as scarce as sunny days, mealworms help birds stay energised and survive the chill.

Why Wiggly Wigglers Mealworms Are Simply the Best

Here’s what sets us apart:

1. Freshly Weighed to Order
   No pre-packed tubs here. Every batch of mealworms is weighed fresh, ensuring you get exactly what you’ve paid for.
2. Perfectly Balanced Nutrition
   Packed with protein, fat, and moisture, mealworms provide the energy birds need for breeding, moulting, and toughing out harsh weather.
3. DEFRA Approved
   Unlike dried mealworms (which could pose contamination risks), our live mealworms are DEFRA-approved, so you can confidently feed them to your hens as well as your wild birds.
4. Ethically Sourced
   Responsibly farmed here in the UK, our mealworms are bred to the highest standards for welfare and quality.
5. Eco-Friendly Packaging
   We send our mealworms out in plain paper bags—no gimmicks, just good old-fashioned practicality. Once they arrive, simply pop them into a shallow container for storage.

How to Attract Birds and Train Hens with Live Mealworms

These wriggly snacks are not just food—they’re a secret weapon for taming hens and turning your garden into a wildlife hotspot.

• Hens: Want your chickens to come running when called? Start shaking that bag of mealworms. You’ll have them eating out of your hand (literally) in no time.
• Birds: Scatter mealworms in a dish or ground tray to tempt robins, blackbirds, and sparrows closer. Before you know it, you’ll have regular visitors ready for their daily wriggle fix.
• For more information on feeding your hens live mealworms download our free fact sheet here

Top Tips for Feeding Live Mealworms

1. Serve Fresh, Daily
   Dish out a handful of mealworms in the morning—think of it as their full English breakfast. Refill throughout the day as needed.
2. Choose the Right Feeder
• Use caged feeders to give small birds like robins a chance, away from bigger bullies like pigeons.
• Open trays or dishes work best for ground-feeding birds like blackbirds.
3. Be Consistent
   Keep mealworms as a regular part of your feeding routine, and you’ll have a loyal crowd in no time.
4. Make Feeding Fun
   Want to get the kids involved? Challenge them to spot which bird shows up first for a mealworm feast—it’s like a wriggly wildlife bingo!

Caring for Your Mealworms

To keep your mealworms fresh, happy, and ready for feeding, follow these easy steps:

1. Decant Them Carefully
   Transfer mealworms from the bag into a shallow container with small ventilation holes. Tupperware does the trick.
2. Feed Your Mealworms
• Add bran or oats as bedding (and food).
• Toss in slices of apple, carrot, or potato for hydration.
3. Keep It Clean
• Sieve out frass (waste and shed skins) regularly. Don’t chuck it away—it’s fantastic fertiliser for your plants!
4. Store at the Right Temperature
   Keep mealworms at 8–10°C—your fridge’s vegetable drawer is ideal. Too hot or too cold, and they’ll stop wriggling (or worse).

What’s Frass and Why Should You Care?

Frass (the fancy name for mealworm poo and shed skins) is a nutrient-rich natural fertiliser, packed with:

• Nitrogen for leafy growth.
• Phosphorus for strong roots.
• Potassium for plant resilience.

How to Use It: Sprinkle frass directly onto your garden soil or mix it into your compost heap. It’s like giving your plants a gourmet meal.

FAQs About Live Mealworms

Q: Why are live mealworms better than dried ones?
A: Live mealworms are hydrating, nutritious, and DEFRA-approved for poultry. Dried mealworms might as well be crisps—tasty but not great for long-term health.

Q: How do I store live mealworms?
A: Keep them in a ventilated container at 8–10°C, with bran or oats and slices of apple or carrot.

Q: Can I use frass?
A: Yes! Frass is a brilliant natural fertiliser for gardens, full of the nutrients your plants need to thrive.

Q: How often should I feed live mealworms?
A: Offer them daily, especially during moulting, breeding, or tough weather conditions.

Order Your Live Mealworms Today! https://www.wigglywigglers.co.uk/collections/mealworms

Live mealworms from Wiggly Wigglers aren’t just food—they’re an investment in healthier, happier wildlife. Whether it’s boosting your hens’ recovery, attracting more birds to your garden, or fertilising your plants with frass, mealworms do it all.