Do all garden birds eat mealworms?

No, but a good range do, particularly robins, blackbirds, wrens and several other insectivorous or partly insectivorous species. Offering mealworms alongside a wider seed and suet mix covers birds that are not especially interested in them too.

Should I soak dried mealworms before putting them out?

Soaking them briefly in water softens them, which some birds, especially nestlings being fed by their parents, find easier to eat than fully dry mealworms. It is not essential, but many people find it makes a difference to how quickly they are taken.

When is the best time of year to feed mealworms?

Spring into early summer, during nesting season, is when the protein boost matters most, as parent birds are feeding chicks almost constantly. They are worth offering across the rest of the year too, just with slightly less urgency.

Can I feed mealworms instead of seed rather than alongside it?

It is better to offer them alongside a wider mix rather than instead of it, since different species and different times of year call for different foods. A varied feeding station generally supports more birds than any single food on its own.

Mealworms for wild birds

Dried mealworms are a genuinely useful feed for garden birds, offering the kind of high-protein boost that insect-eating species such as robins, blackbirds and wrens rely on, particularly during nesting season when adults are feeding protein-hungry chicks. They work well on their own or scattered alongside a wider mix.

Why mealworms suit garden birds

A lot of garden bird species are at least partly insectivorous, especially during the breeding season, and dried mealworms give them a concentrated protein source that seed alone does not provide. Robins and blackbirds in particular are known for taking readily to mealworms put out on a bird table or ground feeder.

Dried mealworms also store well and are easy to portion compared with live ones, making them a practical everyday option for most gardens rather than something needing special handling or storage.

How and when to offer them

Scatter dried mealworms on a bird table, a ground feeder, or directly on a paved area away from cover that a cat could use to approach unseen. Soaking dried mealworms in water for a short while before putting them out softens them, which some birds — and particularly nestlings being fed by parents — find easier to manage.

Nesting season, roughly spring into early summer in the UK, is when demand for protein-rich food is highest, since parent birds are feeding fast-growing chicks almost constantly through the day. Offering mealworms through this period supports birds when they need it most, though they are worth having available across the rest of the year too.

What to feed alongside them

Mealworms work best as part of a varied feeding station rather than the only food on offer — a mix of seed, suet and mealworms covers a wider range of species and needs than any single food alone. Suet products in particular complement mealworms well, since both are energy-dense options that suit birds working hard to raise a brood or get through cold weather.

Keep feeders and any surface mealworms are scattered on reasonably clean, since droppings can build up around a popular feeding spot and that matters for the health of visiting birds over a season.

What we stock

Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.

Johnston Jeff Selected Wild Bird Food

A wild bird seed mix with black oil sunflower for a wide range of garden birds

From£2.79

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Peckish Complete Seed and Nut No Mess Wild Bird Seed Mix

A no-mess seed and nut mix for the garden, built from 12 ingredients for up to 16 bird species

£20.99

Peckish Natural Balance Wild Bird Seed Mix

A 1.7KG, 10-seed wild bird mix, entirely UK-sourced, in recyclable packaging

£3.99

Peckish Winter Warmer High Energy Wild Bird Seed Mix

A high-energy winter seed mix for garden birds, feeder or table

£24.99

Johnston & Jeff Premium Wild Bird - Wheat-Free with Suet

A husk-free, wheat-free wild bird mix with suet pellets for extra winter energy

£29.99

Supa Wild Bird Peanut Feeder

A 12-inch wire mesh peanut feeder, sized up to cut down on refills over winter

£5.99

Rosewood Recycled Wild Bird Seed Feeder

A 1.2 litre wild bird seed feeder that fixes to a wall, post or drainpipe

£15.00

Supa Wild Bird Feeder

A compact 7-inch wire mesh peanut feeder, a low-cost way to start feeding peanuts

£4.49

Rosewood Recycled Wild Bird Bottom Seed Feeder

25cm recycled bird seed feeder, washable, for small to medium birds

£9.00

Supa Wild Bird Seed Feeder 10 Port

A 30in (75cm) 10-port garden bird seed feeder, holding around 1.25kg of seed

£10.49

Supa Wild Bird Robin & Small Bird Feeder

An adjustable dome bird feeder that blocks larger birds like pigeons from feeding

£5.99

Rosewood Recycled Wild Bird Fatball Ring

23cm recycled fat ball feeder, holds up to 10 standard fat balls

£9.00

Browse all of Birds →

Common questions

Do all garden birds eat mealworms?: No, but a good range do, particularly robins, blackbirds, wrens and several other insectivorous or partly insectivorous species. Offering mealworms alongside a wider seed and suet mix covers birds that are not especially interested in them too.
Should I soak dried mealworms before putting them out?: Soaking them briefly in water softens them, which some birds, especially nestlings being fed by their parents, find easier to eat than fully dry mealworms. It is not essential, but many people find it makes a difference to how quickly they are taken.
When is the best time of year to feed mealworms?: Spring into early summer, during nesting season, is when the protein boost matters most, as parent birds are feeding chicks almost constantly. They are worth offering across the rest of the year too, just with slightly less urgency.
Can I feed mealworms instead of seed rather than alongside it?: It is better to offer them alongside a wider mix rather than instead of it, since different species and different times of year call for different foods. A varied feeding station generally supports more birds than any single food on its own.

Sources

Written against guidance published by UK veterinary and welfare organisations. Always confirm specifics with your own vet.

Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.