Mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) are the larvae of a species of darkling beetle. Highly nutritious and readily eaten by virtually all reptiles and amphibians they make a great addition to your pets diet. They have a very good shelf life (up to a month if you keep them somewhere cool) meaning they are also a great reserve live food option for if you are running short on other live foods. Their high fat content means they should not really be used as the staple food but are great for animals that need a little extra weight gain such as growing youngsters or egg laying females. They are also relished by birds and are frequently fed to many garden bird species over the winter months.

Approximate Nutritional values are: Dry Mass 37.6%, (following values are as a percentage of dry mass) Crude Protein Percentage 52.7%, Fat Percentage 32.8%, Energy per gram dry weight 6.49 Kcal/g

Unbalanced Calcium to Phosphorous ratio 1:7