Mealworm Care

Mealworms are relatively easy to keep

Refrigerator Instructions

  • Keep Mealworms in the refrigerator (~40°), do not place by the crisper drawers in your fridge as this can freeze them.
  • Remove them once a week and put a slice of fruit or vegetable in the cup. 
  • Leave out for ~12 hours at this time, then remove the fruit or vegetable slice and return them to the refrigerator.
  • Replace bedding as required (will look sandy when requiring replacement). 
  • You can use wheat bran or rolled oats for a bedding source.
  • When you are ready to use them, remove the desired amount and leave at room temperature until they become active, roughly 24 hours before feeding to your animal (this is a great time to gutload them).

 

Room Temperature Instructions

  • If keeping at room temperature your mealworms will eventually pupate and turn to beetles.
  • The beetles and pupae can still be used as feeder insects.
  1. Place mealworms into a larger tray and add ~1 inch of wheat bran or rolled oats for bedding.
  2. Add sliced vegetables or water crystals for a moisture source (Do not add too much water crystals as it can cause the bedding to mold).
  3. Attempt to keep room humidity under 50% as going above this can cause mites 
  4. Remove uneaten vegetable slices each day to prevent molding
  5. Sift old bedding and replace as needed (will look like sand when needing replacement)
  6. If at any point the mealworms reach the desired size and you do not wish for them to grow more and pupate you may place your tray of mealworms in your refrigerator to get the mealworms to stop growing.


Your Mealworms should last for weeks.