One of the most common questions we receive at Happy Birdwatcher is whether birds prefer dried mealworms or live mealworms.
It's a fair question. If you've ever watched a bluebird snatch a wriggling live mealworm, it's easy to assume that dried mealworms can't compete.
But after shipping thousands of pounds of dried mealworms to birdwatchers across the country and hearing back from customers in every region of the United States, we've noticed a pattern.
While some birds absolutely seem to prefer live mealworms, the vast majority of our customers report tremendous success feeding dried mealworms.
What Our Customers Tell Us
Every spring and summer, our inbox fills with stories from birdwatchers sharing what they're seeing in their backyards.
Bluebirds carrying mealworms to nestlings.
Eastern Phoebes making repeated trips to a mealworm feeder throughout the day.
Gray Catbirds appearing almost as soon as mealworms are offered.
Wrens, chickadees, titmice, and even woodpeckers joining the feast.
In fact, many customers tell us they originally purchased mealworms hoping to attract bluebirds and ended up discovering a whole new cast of insect-eating birds in their yard.
Why Some Birds Prefer Live Mealworms
Live mealworms move.
That movement triggers a bird's natural hunting instincts and can make live mealworms especially attractive to birds that have never encountered mealworms before.
If you're trying to attract bluebirds for the first time or encourage adult birds to feed newly fledged young, live mealworms can certainly have an advantage.
We've even heard from a few customers whose birds would initially accept only live mealworms.
Why Dried Mealworms Often Win in the Long Run
Convenience matters.
Live mealworms require refrigeration, regular maintenance, and ongoing care. Dried mealworms can be stored for months and are ready whenever the birds are hungry.
Many birdwatchers start with live mealworms and eventually switch to dried mealworms because they are easier to manage and significantly less expensive over time.
More importantly, birds often learn very quickly that dried mealworms are food.
Once they do, many birdwatchers report that their birds eagerly consume dried mealworms day after day.
One of our customers recently told us that two male cardinals couldn't get enough of them. Another shared that her Gray Catbirds practically camp out near the feeder waiting for more. In my own backyard, an Eastern Phoebe regularly visits a ground feeder specifically to pick out dried mealworms.
Should You Soak Dried Mealworms?
Some birdwatchers choose to soak dried mealworms in warm water for about 15 to 30 minutes before offering them.
This can make them softer and may be especially helpful during nesting season when adults are feeding young birds.
That said, many of our customers feed dried mealworms straight from the bag with excellent results.
If birds aren't showing interest right away, soaking them can be worth trying.
The Biggest Mistake People Make
Giving up too soon.
If birds in your yard have never encountered mealworms before, it may take days or even weeks for them to recognize them as food.
We've seen countless cases where customers told us the birds ignored mealworms at first, only to email later saying the birds suddenly discovered them and now clean out the feeder every day.
Patience often pays off.
Our Experience
After serving birdwatchers for five years, we've found that dried mealworms are one of the most consistently successful foods we offer.
Not every bird will choose dried mealworms over live mealworms.
But based on the thousands of birdwatchers we've served, dried mealworms attract far more birds than most people expect.
If you've been curious about trying mealworms but have hesitated because live mealworms seem complicated or expensive, don't let that stop you. Our dried mealworms are available here.
Your bluebirds, phoebes, catbirds, wrens, chickadees, and other insect-loving visitors may surprise you.