OPEN THE GATES
On arrival
Check the larvae and transfer them into a clean, ventilated container with the appropriate dry grain bedding if the shipping container is too crowded. Confirm whether the order contains larvae, pupae, or adult beetles; each is a different life stage.
BUILD THE REFUGE
A secure holding setup
Use dry wheat bran or another suitable mealworm medium as both bedding and food. Provide a secure ventilated lid. The bed should remain loose and dry, with enough space to avoid deep, crowded piles. Never soak the bran to supply drinking water.
KEEP A STEADY WATCH
Temperature & placement
Mealworm larvae may be held cool to slow development, using the storage instructions supplied with the batch. A breeding colony needs warmer active conditions instead. Before feeding or gut-loading cooled larvae, allow a small portion to return gradually to room temperature. Do not apply this storage method to superworms.
PROVISION THE COLONY
Food & hydration
For active larvae, place a small piece of carrot or similar suitable produce on the bedding for moisture. Remove it before spoilage, replacing damp bran beneath it. Fresh food should support the larvae without turning the grain bed into wet compost. Keep any food or bedding away from sprays and household chemicals.
Prepare with Mealworm Bran, Wheat Bran for Mealworms & Superworms – Free Shipping. Check each product’s directions before use.
THE DAILY WATCH
Care between feedings
Sift the bedding gently as fine waste accumulates. Separate pale pupae from feeding larvae when breeding, and give newly emerged beetles their own breeding space. Adult beetles, pupae, and larvae are all mealworm life stages, but a listing for one does not mean the other stages are included.
AVOID THE COMMON TRAPS
Mistakes worth preventing
- Using the superworm guide because the larvae look similar.
- Leaving produce until it molds inside the bran.
- Assuming giant mealworms will establish a normal breeding colony without confirming the listing.