Mealworms are among the famous feeder insects for reptile pets. They are a healthy food source for many reptile pets, birds, and spiders. Some humans have also started including them in their diets for added variety. Mealworms are an excellent source of animal protein, fat and other essential elements.
Because reptile pets like leopard geckos only eat live mealworms, it’s crucial to know how these insects can be properly stored for long-term use. But first, most people want to know how long these insects can survive at room temperature.
When mealworms are stored at room temperature, they can only last or be viable to be used as food for three weeks, after which they undergo metamorphosis and transform into a pupa. Otherwise, they might die if the conditions necessary for the transition are absent.
What Are Mealworms?
Mealworms are basically the larva stage of the mealworm beetle, Tenebrio molitor, a popular species of the darkling beetle. These creatures go through four growth stages like all holometabolous insects: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. At the larval stage, mealworms are about 1 inch (2.5 cm) long and commonly found in temperate regions. Mealworms are often used as a food source for pets, such as reptiles, birds, and small mammals.
They are also food ingredients for poultry, fish, and other livestock. Some people also eat mealworms as a source of protein. Mealworms can be raised on a grain diet, such as wheat bran or oats, and they can be cooked and eaten in various dishes, such as stir-fries and snacks.
How To Store Mealworms Alive For Long-Term
As detailed earlier, most reptile pets love eating mealworms when alive. However, mealworms are in the larva stage of darkling beetles, meaning they won’t stay at this stage for a long time. You can store these creatures under specific conditions to ensure they stay alive for an extended period.
Pet owners who want to keep mealworms for longer will need these items:
Storage Container
The first thing you need is a shoebox-sized container to hold your mealworms. Mealworms do best when housed in a big container since this facilitates heat dissipation and prevents overheating, both of which increase the chance of survival.
Because mealworms can climb up and gnaw through wood, it is strongly recommended that you use a container made of plastic or glass rather than one made of wood or cardboard. A transparent container is preferable, so you can easily monitor how much trash or frass has gathered.
Substrate
Surprisingly, the material used as mealworm bedding is also its food. Therefore, you should line up the container with 2-3 inches of bedding/feed materials such as oatmeal, bran meal, cheerios, and cornmeal.
Keeping The Mealworms Hydrated
Ensuring that mealworms get enough moisture is also imperative, as a lack of water can lead to their demise. Usually, these insects get their water from the vegetables and fruits they consume. Adding pieces of tomato, apples, and other vegetables can help increase the humidity. However, others add Thirsty Cricket (gel water source).
Mealworms Refrigeration
Technically, mealworms are darkling beetle larvae, meaning they’re still developing and, if given the right conditions, will advance to the next growth stage. Therefore, you’ll need to put these insects in the refrigerator to ensure they remain at this growth stage.
Putting mealworms in the fridge will extend their time as larvae by a few months. But first, there are a few things that keepers should understand about the refrigeration of mealworms.
If you put your mealworms in the fridge at 45–50°F, they will go dormant. They won’t move as much, consume as much, defecate as much, or grow as much. Experts claim that mealworms can remain dormant for up to one year, but realistically, they can be inactive for about six to ten months. However, you mustn’t let the temperatures drop below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, as the cold will lead to the death of your bugs.
Remember, you must get the mealworms out of the refrigerator after every two weeks and let them stay at room temperature for up to 24 hours. During this time, they’ll get out of dormancy to feed and reserve nutrients that will sustain them once they become dormant.
What Will Happen If You Live Mealworms At Room Temperature For Long?
Mealworms find temperatures around 70 degrees ideal. These creatures will eat as much as possible at room temperature and transform into pupae after three weeks. Like all the other holometabolous insects, darkling beetles must pass through four growth stages to become adults.
When you leave your mealworms for more than three weeks, they will feed and transform into pupa and adult darkling beetles. This is why refrigeration is required when you want to store mealworms for an extended period.
If you leave your mealworms for days only to see them turn white, it is a clear indication that they have already metamorphosized into the next growth stage; pupa.
How To Feed Live Mealworms To Pets
Because of their high protein, fat, and moisture content, live mealworms are an ideal staple for most pets, especially reptile pets. However, before feeding mealworms to insects, do the following:
- Get mealworms out of the fridge 24 hours before feeding them to your pet. This will allow them to warm up and eat. In addition, this will enable them to crawl and wiggle, enticing pets to hunt them down.
- Gut-load mealworms with nutrients. Before feeding mealworms to your lizards, ensure that the insects are gut-loaded with highly nutritious foods. This will ensure that the feeder insects supply the necessary minerals and nutrients.
- Coat the mealworms with calcium powder. One solid fact is that mealworms have a high phosphorus-to-calcium ratio. Therefore, coating them will calcium powder helps balance the ratio, lowering the chances of the pet’s body being unable to absorb calcium.
Final Verdict
Mealworms may be an excellent food for most pets, but as explained in this piece, they must be stored under certain conditions for long-term use. Leaving them at room temperature encourages them to eat and move into the next life cycle; pupa.
For this reason, mealworms need to be refrigerated at temperatures between 45-50 degrees Fahrenheit. However, you still need to ensure that the creatures are not overcrowded or submerged in an excessively deep substrate.
