Why Live Mealworms Are a Must-Have
- Packed with Protein & Fat: Live mealworms contain over 50% protein, crucial for growth and feather production, and natural fats for sustained energy.
- Hydration for Nestlings: Birds on the nest get their only source of water from the moisture in their food. Live mealworms provide vital hydration, unlike seeds, suet, or dried alternatives.
- DEFRA Approved: Safe for poultry. Live mealworms are DEFRA-approved as chicken feed. Unlike dried mealworms, which can carry contamination risks, live mealworms are safe, fresh, and full of benefits.
- Support Breeding Success: Feeding live mealworms during the breeding season helps nestlings and fledglings thrive, promoting stronger, healthier bird populations.
Why Feed Live Mealworms Year-Round?
Feeding live mealworms isn’t just for the breeding season—it’s beneficial all year round, especially during:
- Moulting Season:
- Wild birds and hens shed old feathers and grow new ones in late summer and autumn.
- Feathers make up 4–12% of a bird's body weight, requiring a huge amount of protein to regrow. Live mealworms, with over 50% protein, are the perfect supplement to support this energy-intensive process.
- Hens, in particular, benefit from live mealworms during moulting as the extra protein aids in quicker recovery and keeps them healthy.
- Breeding Season:
- Live mealworms provide hydration and protein for nestlings and fledglings, ensuring they grow strong and thrive.
- Extreme Weather Conditions:
- During dry spells, ground-feeding birds like blackbirds struggle to find earthworms. Live mealworms provide a vital source of moisture and nutrition.
- In winter, when natural invertebrates are scarce, live mealworms help birds maintain energy levels and survive the cold.
How to Feed Live Mealworms
- Serving Suggestions:
- Put out a handful in the morning in a steep sided shallow container or feeder. This will supply a protein-rich breakfast that will energise your birds for the day.
- Use a steep-sided, shallow dish to keep mealworms contained while making them easy for birds to access. (You can also go for a caged feeder or one with an adjustable dome to keep larger birds out)
- Provide mealworms regularly during breeding, moulting, and in extreme weather (cold, droughts) when natural invertebrates are scarce.
- Use Appropriate Feeders:
- Caged feeders protect mealworms for smaller birds like robins and sparrows, keeping larger species at bay.
- Open feeders or ground dishes allow ground-feeding birds like blackbirds to enjoy them too.
How to Care for Your Mealworms
1. Decant into a Suitable Container
When your mealworms arrive in their recyclable paper bag, transfer them into a shallow container (such as a Tupperware box) with ventilation holes. This keeps them safe and allows airflow to prevent mould and overheating.
2. Provide a Nutritious Diet
Keep your mealworms healthy and plump with:
- Bran or Porridge Oats: A nutritious bedding and food source. Just add a handful or so at a time.
- Fresh Slices of Apple, Carrot, or Potato: These provide hydration and extra nutrients, ensuring the mealworms stay fresh and full of goodness for your birds.
3. Maintain Cleanliness
- Sieve Out Frass Regularly: Frass is the waste and shed skins produced by mealworms. Removing it prevents bacteria build-up and keeps your worms thriving. Use a fine mesh sieve to separate mealworms from frass.
- Ensure no frass remains when serving mealworms to your birds. This keeps their feeding station clean and prevents contamination.
4. Optimal Storage Conditions
- Store mealworms at 8–10°C (a cool shed or refrigerator vegetable drawer works well).
- Avoid extreme temperatures. Keep them cool to slow their development into beetles, but don’t allow them to freeze.
What Is Frass, and How Can You Use It?
Frass is the nutrient-rich by-product of mealworms, made up of droppings and shed exoskeletons. It’s a fantastic, natural fertiliser for your garden, rich in:
- Nitrogen: Promotes lush, leafy growth.
- Phosphorus: Encourages strong roots.
- Potassium: Enhances plant resilience and overall health.
How to Use It: Sprinkle frass on your soil or mix it into your compost to enrich your garden naturally. It’s perfect for flowers, vegetables, and even lawns!
The Wiggly Wigglers Difference
- Eco-Friendly Packaging: Delivered in simple paper bags, our mealworms are easy to handle, and the packaging can be composted or recycled.
- Fresh and Ethical: We source our mealworms from trusted farms who ensure a vegetarian diet and absolutely no growth hormones, ensuring they’re raised responsibly with no compromise on quality.
- Expertise You Can Trust: With years of experience in supporting wildlife, we’ve fine-tuned every aspect of our live mealworm offering to provide the very best for your birds and chickens.
FAQs About Live Mealworms
Q: Why are live mealworms better than dried?
A: Live mealworms provide essential hydration and are DEFRA-approved for poultry. Dried mealworms lack moisture and are not approved due to potential contamination risks.
Q: How do I store live mealworms?
A: Keep them in a shallow, ventilated container at 8–10°C. Provide bran or oats as bedding and food, and add fresh carrot, apple, or potato slices for hydration.
Q: Can I use mealworm frass?
A: Yes! Frass is a nutrient-packed organic fertiliser that’s perfect for enhancing your garden soil.
Q: How often should I feed mealworms to my birds?
A: Daily feeding is ideal, especially during breeding, moulting, or harsh weather. Offer a small handful in the morning and refill as needed.
Q: Are live mealworms safe for chickens?
A: Absolutely. They’re DEFRA-approved, packed with protein, and a great treat during moulting to support feather regrowth.
Q: How do I keep mealworms from turning into beetles?
A: Store them in cool conditions and sieve out any pupae regularly.
Order Your Live Mealworms Today!
With Wiggly Wigglers’ Live Mealworms, you’re not just feeding your birds—you’re supporting their health, hydration, and breeding success. Order now to provide your feathered friends with the very best, while enjoying the satisfaction of ethical sourcing and eco-friendly packaging. Perfect for garden birds, chickens, and even your garden soil—there’s no better choice for live mealworms.
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Shipping Information
Our standard delivery charge is £3.95
(Next Day delivery is £5.95)
*GB mainland only and other exclusions apply. Please see below for full details.
| Area | Standard Delivery | Royal Mail (Live Orders) | Next Working Day Delivery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mainland UK (excludes highlands) | £3.95 | £3.95 | £5.95 |
| Falkirk, Aberdeen Perth Kirkwall Paisley and Inverness Areas (not islands), Isle of Man and Isle of Wight | £14.95 | £3.95 | N/A |
| For Scottish Islands, Outer Hebrides, Kilmarnock area, Paisley area, Chanel Islands and Northern Ireland | £19.95 | £3.95 | N/A |
All our orders are now despatched from our farm here in Herefordshire and so we’ve made a few changes. We will always despatch orders as soon as possible, but we do offer a next day delivery service (some restrictions apply) for those urgent orders.
Wiggly Standard Delivery (3 - 5 day delivery) £3.95 within mainland Britain
If you don't mind when your order arrives... (within reason of course) Choose standard delivery and we will despatch your order with the best option for us. This may be APC Overnight, DPD or Royal Mail. You need to allow 2 - 5 days for delivery, and we can post to anywhere in mainland Britain. See below if you are in Highlands and Islands.
Next Week Day delivery for £5.95 to mainland Britain
If you need a guaranteed Next Day delivery then please choose the Next Day delivery option. If you order on a Friday then the delivery will be with you on the following Monday. Please note there are no deliveries on Saturdays, Sundays or Bank Holidays. You must order before 1pm for your order to be sent to arrive the following working day. If you order after 1pm then your order will be shipped on the next working day.
Important - Highlands and Islands
IF your order contains JUST live worms and is under 2 kilos - whether that’s composting worms, wax worms or mealworms you will have the option in the checkout to choose standard delivery at £3.95. This is because we can use Royal Mail for this service. Otherwise you will see the extra cost options for a courier to deliver your package – please note there is no guaranteed next day service to these areas so please allow extra time and track your package for information.
For Falkirk, Aberdeen Perth Kirkwall Paisley and Inverness Areas (not islands), Isle of Man and Isle of Wight the charge is £14.95
Postcodes:
AB37-38 AB41-56 FK 17-21 IV1- 40 IV52-54 IV63 KW1-14 PA21-40 PA80 PH15-50 IM1-9 IM86-87 IM99 PO30-41)
For Scottish Islands, Outer Hebrides, Kilmarnock area, Paisley area, Chanel Islands and Northern Ireland the charge is £19.95
Postcodes:
HS1-9 IV41-56 KA27-28 KW15-17 PA20 PA41-78 PH42-44 ZE1-3 BT1-99 JE1-5 GY1-10)
REFUNDS POLICY
Damaged or Faulty Goods
In the unlikely event that you receive an item that is damaged or faulty, we can offer a full refund within 60 days of the customer receiving the order. We simply require photographic evidence of the damaged/faulty item with tracking number within 7 days.
To return a damaged or faulty item is free of charge, please contact wiggly@wigglywigglers.co.uk with your name, address & order number and our customer service team will advise on the easiest way to send.
Once the item has been received and inspected by our customer care team, you will be notified that a refund has been issued and feel free to order the item again from our website.
In the case of LIVE WORMS these can’t be returned so in the unlikely event that they have arrived damaged please take a photo on the same day and send that photo straight away to our team wiggly@wigglywigglers.co.uk with a description of what the problem is and ensure you include your name, address and order number.
Once the photograph and description has been looked over by our customer care team they will get back to you to advise or issue a replacement or refund.
Returning an Order
Sometimes it just doesn’t work out. We get that. If you’ve changed your mind and want to cancel your order, we ask that you contact our sales team and return the item in its original packaging within 60 days to:
Wiggly Wigglers Lower Blakemere Farm, Blakemere, Herefordshire HR2 9PX
Unfortunately, we aren’t able to cover the cost of returning unwanted items, so the postage cost of returning these items is the responsibility of the customer. Please ensure that you obtain proof of posting as items being returned are the responsibility of the customer until the items reach our farm.
Once the item has been received and inspected by our customer care team, you will be notified that your refund has been issued. Please note the item must be returned with the original packaging, as new, unused, and free of defects.
Of course if you cancel your order before the items are shipped out a refund will be issued right away.
Please email us at wiggly@wigglywigglers.co.uk if you need any further information.
Do squirrels eat mealworms?
Pesky Squirrels will eat just about any birdfood, including live and dried mealworms! You best bet to deter them is to put your feeders on a surface they cannot climb (like a window) or use a feeder with a cage.
What birds like live mealworms?
Mealworms, waxworms, worms and insects are loved by birds such as robins, blackbirds, thrushes, tits and nuthatches. Feeding live food in the spring helps during the breeding season as they provide much needed protein. Tits and robins love mealworms and the latter can become very tame in exchange for their favourite snack.
How to store live mealworms?
Live Mealworms can easily be stored in a garage or utility room because they are clean and odourless. They keep well at room temperature. Should you wish to store them for longer you can transfer them to the warmest part of your fridge, away from the icebox.
When should I feed live mealworms?
Live foods are very nutritious for a lot of bird species and you can feed all year round. However, there are two key times to feed live food:
1: Winter – Mealworms are particularly good for insectivorous birds at a time when they may be struggling to get worms etc. out of frozen ground. If you are persistent you may even be able to get robins to take mealworms from your hand!
2: The Breeding Season – When your garden birds have chicks in the nest mealworms are by far the best food.
How should I feed live mealworms?
Place them in a high-sided dish or feeder so that the don't escape.
The Wiggly Story: Bringing Your Garden to Life.
Nestled in the heart of rural Herefordshire, within The Duchy of Cornwall estate lies Lower Blakemere Farm – the cherished home of Wiggly Wigglers and founder, Heather Gorringe. From its humble beginnings on Heather’s kitchen table over 30 years ago, our small but dedicated team is working hard on a legacy of sustainability and regeneration. Our farm isn’t merely a plot of land; it’s a dynamic hub where we’re aiming to balance food production with biodiversity and since we started our regenerative journey there’s a real focus on improving soil health and sustainability. Beyond our own endeavours, we’re passionate about sharing best practices and developing products designed to Bring your Garden to life.
The Wiggly Promise
At Wiggly Wigglers, it’s not just about sales (though we appreciate your orders and support for the farm!).
We’re here to offer a range of sustainable solutions that add fun to composting, boost biodiversity, and make bring your home and garden to live, whilst making the world just a little bit greener.
- Trusted: We’ve been here for over 30 years, with over 100,000 orders shipped.
- Try our products: We have a risk free 60 Day No Quibble Returns policy.
- Great Value: Buy Direct - we grow, mix, pack and ship direct from our farm in Herefordshire.
