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Bluebird feeding - mealworm suppliers (Part 1)In addition to Messages that have appeared in the Bluebird Mailing Lists on this topic, the following are on the Audubon Society of Omaha website:
Date: Sat, 11 Mar 2000 10:04:09 -0800 (PST) Kevin Bloom Hello again. I just ordered another package of mealies from Grubco and got them today. I looked at the ref guide already and so I am just gonna ask aloud. Where is the least expensive place to buy mealworms with the shipping already on the price. With grubco I am paying in all $10.00 for the thousand with the shipping. All replies would be appreciated. I also recieved my sparrow trap from bugspray today. Total was $47.00 but worth every cent of it! Also subscribed to Bird Watcher's Digest. Well have to go feed the blues their lunch. Thank you again from rainy Pa. Date: Sat, 11 Mar 2000 14:56:55 -0500 Betty Nichols, Middletown, MD ... Hi Kevin and all: In response to your inquiry re Grubco-- I dealt w/them several yrs. ago &changed to Nature's Way,Ross, Ohio. I find prices are about even w/Grubco--it is quality & service that Nature's Way exceeds that of Grubco. I would suggest you call 1 800 318 2611 for prices, or e-mail " info"at"thenaturesway. com". The larger the am't ordered the lower the unit price. Until BBs are feeding nestlings I feed large mealies. Then when nestlings appear I feed mediums. N. Way enclose invoice w/ order & I pay immediately. I usually feed about 5K a week on the trail. ... Betty Nichols, Middletown, MD ... Date: Sat, 11 Mar 2000 14:02:08 -0600 Kevin and all, I just ordered and recieved (in two days) 3000 mealworms from Rainbow Mealworms, Inc. for total price of $17.70, including shipping. The toll-free number to call is 1-800-777-9676. I have ordered from them for two years now, and have had no problems. They give great service and the worms always come in good shape. Mary Roen, River Falls, WI Date: Fri, 14 Apr 2000 12:57:35 -0400 Where do you all get your mealworms from? Date: Fri, 14 Apr 2000 13:50:53 -0400 To: Merilyn, et al, I get my mealworms from GRUBCO, 1-800-222-3563. Last I heard they were $5.00 for 1000, plus $3 -something postage. They're from Ohio, so they can't be ALL bad. There are other good places, (Rainbow?) but I've always used GRUBCO. Bruce Burdett, NH Bluebird Conspiracy, Sunapee, NH ... Date: Fri, 14 Apr 2000 14:04:30 -0500 All the gang - Mealworms can be obtained very reasonably at Rainbow Mealworms & Creickets 126 East Spruce Street Campton, CA 90220 or visit their website at www.rainbowmealworms.com Good Luck, Dan McCue Camden, TN in west TN. ... Date: Sun, 07 May 2000 15:32:11 EDT Kevin Bloom Some people wanted to know about these so here it is. Armstrong's Cricket Farm (hereafter ACF) is located in Georgia and has excellent service. Some of the nicest people I have ordered anything yet. They have a minimum of a $12 order. Any size of mealies are $7.50 which includes the shipping in the price. I sent a mail order on a Mon. and had my Medium mealies and Large mealies by Sat. They send by airmail. The mealies come in a white cup that is about 9 in. high and is made out of cardboard. Makes it very convienent, time saving and less messy. I will order from them probably from now on. I know Natures way offers 5 thousand for 21 bucks but this is nice if you don't need that many right now. Their web site is: www.armstrongcricket.com Now for the Birding store. Their website is below. Awesome service and sent in a timely fashion. I got all my info from Pete Thayer who runs it. Minimum shipping charge is $5.95 which means you can order 1..2...or 3 books for the same Shipping charge. My book came in a box with cardboards on both sides to protect it also with other stuff to support it too. With your first order you recieve a complementary nice strap to put on your binoculars or your camera. Price would have been $10. Has www.birding.com on the strap. Surprised that they sent me that. I plan to buy many more things from the store. They are located in Florida. They sell not only a ton of different types of books but also birding CDs and tapes and VHS videos and other things. Prices are cheaper than most places (excluding NABS,PMCA, and other bird org.) I also buy from NABS and PMCA who also have good service. Hope this helps. Birding store: http://www.birding.com/store/default.asp?affiliate=chickadee-web Date: Thu, 25 May 2000 17:39:50 EDT Hello All, For many years I've been buying mealworms from a certain company. Last week I ordered from a different company to see if there was any difference. Well, today I received 2000 dead, smelly mealworms! They were shipped on Tuesday according to the receipt. Has anyone ever received mealworms that were all dead? I've been watching them for about 2 hours and not one has showed any movement at all and the smell is disgusting. I've never experienced this before and wonder if it's just a fluke. Laura, Date: Thu, 25 May 2000 18:34:57 EDT Hi Laura, If I where you I would call the company you ordered from and tell them what has happened, I have never had my mealies arrive dead and something must have caused this(i.e. sat in delivery truck in the heat or something along those lines) I guess it quite is possible that the NEW company you order from is not doing a good job, maybe they sent lousy worms, seem as though the mealies should have survived 2 days shipping. I have always ordered from Grubco, and found that lately the worms are much smaller than what they advertise, and they have become very undependable as far as shipping my order, for my last 2 shipments I used Rainbow mealworms and I don't think I will ever order from Grubco again, Rainbow overnights them to you, and the cost is the same, I buy 10,000 at a clip and it is 41.25 with shipping. Please do not settle for all those dead worms, you paid good money for them you should get live worms. Date: Thu, 25 May 2000 19:24:06 -0400 Yes. I sent them back, and the company not only replaced them; they also packed them in an artificial iced container, sent me 1/2 again what I had ordered, apologized and did not charge me a penny more. But you need to call them and complain immediately. Randy Jones Date: Thu, 25 May 2000 20:32:22 -0400 Laura and all, it is a good idea if Laura would let us all know the names of the companies she has dealt with. We can benefit from her experience! I use Natures Way, and have always received fresh mealworms. They ship on Mon Tue Wed only to make sure the worms are received within two days and in good condition. Fawzi from MD Date: Thu, 25 May 2000 21:22:14 EDT Hello to all: I purposely didn't name the company in my first post because I didn't want to be unfair to them without reason. I usually order from Grubco and have had no problems even in the middle of summer. This time I tried Rainbow, just to see if there was any difference. They are sending me a new order so I will see how this one goes. I think the mealworms got 'cooked' along the way, they were very brown, very smelly and very dead. I tried to pick through them to find any live ones with no luck. I think from all your responses that all three of the most popular companies that sell mealworms try very hard to get the orders to us in good shape, I must have just been unlucky this time. Oh well! Laura Date: Thu, 25 May 2000 21:32:50 -0400 Laura, I received mealworms a couple weeks ago from Rainbow Mealworms; unpacked them, and they were trying to crawl out of the bag. Where did you get yours from; maybe others would like to know. I think you should get a free replacement. By the way, this poses another question to the list- will birds eat dead mealworms? I'm thinking not, because they are sent live in the first place. Hope you get that replacement, Laura Wanda (SE PA)... Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 14:29:41 -0400 Hello Stan and all. Nature's Way toll free order number is: 1-800-318-2611. They take orders on Mon, Tue and Wed and will ship so you'll get the mealworms in two days if you order by 10 AM. Orders after Wed at 10 AM will be shipped the following Monday. This is to guarantee freshness. So for they have had a prefect record with me. They ship small, medium and large. I usually use the large size, and I order several thousand at one time. Prices are comparable to others, and quality is excellent. Address is: Nature's Way Hope you'll like it! Fawzi Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 15:22:31 -0400 I just started feeding mealworms this year, and my first order was from Grubco. The order was satisfactory and got here in about 3 days. Next time I ordered from Rainbow, because somebody on this list mentioned that they had some connection with NABS. I ordered medium worms both times, and prices were comparable, but the Rainbow ones were *much larger than the Grubco ones. They came within two days, and you can order Monday through Friday, on line or by phone. The worms also came with instructions for care and feeding, unlike the ones from Grubco. I ordered from Rainbow again on Wednesday, and by yesterday they were here, alive and wiggling. (I would love to know what the mailman must think when he delivers the package labeled "Live Worms".) So I think Laura's experience must have been an exception. Rainbow (and probably the others, too) guarantees live delivery. None of these guys could stay in business if they didn't. Katherine Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 17:40:58 -0400 (EDT) On Fri, 26 May 2000, Katherine S. Wolfthal wrote: times, and prices were comparable, but the Rainbow ones were *much I've ordered mealworms once from Armstrong crickets and once from Grubco. The armstrongrong crickets mealworms were also *much larger and more uniform in size, and they came very quickly and in nice plastic cups with meal and holey lids (not sure that's their standard bulk method). They were $9 per thousand (2000 minimum) _including_ shipping by 2nd day air. A good alternate source. http://www.armstrongcrickets.com/ (see below) Yours, Barry ========== Care Instructions: Mealworms -On arrival of bulk pack Mealworms, shake them from their bag into a plastic container with slick side walls (kitty litter tray, dish pan, plastic aquarium, etc.). The container should have a bedding of chicken food, corn meal, or dry oatmeal. Place the container with worms and bedding in a refrigerator at 43-50 F. At this temperature the Mealworms become dormant and last for months. It is better to have a fresh stock and not order more than a two weeks supply at a time. It is essential for mealworms to have moisture which is obtained through pieces of raw carrots or potatoes. Mealworms are approximately 1" long and 1/8" in diameter. KEEP COLD 43 F. - 50 F.
Date: Thu, 13 Jul 2000 22:55:36 EDT When I became interested in bluebirds (everyone told me they would't nest where I live) I went on the net and discovered NABS, which is how I learned to care for the birds. My husband put up a box for me and in 45 min. I had a male show up. Two days later the female was here. The first nesting we had 3 lovely babies fledge, 2nd. 1 baby and now we're on # 3 with 4 babies. I feel very fortunate to have had this experience. I also started searching for a mealworm site and found the "Wormman". This man has sent me mealworms promptly on HOLIDAYS even. I really do feel that the supplement of worms has kept my bluebirds here and kept them healthy. I have also fed a few softened raisins. The female seemed to be the one interested in them though. Linda from Pendleton, In. Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2000 23:16:02 EDT Date: 26 Oct 2000 04:25:49 -0000 I concur, Gail, that I like to support our local merchants! And, after witnessing a Wild Bird Center in a nearby suburb liquidate because of lack of business, we've since had a Wild Birds Unlimited (different franchise, you'll note by the names) open in another nearby suburb, I have bought several items there. Have hinted that gift certificates (hint has usually been effective) from WBU are appropriate for birthday, Christmas, etc. I want to see them make a go of it; and the owners are so cordial; have hosted book signing by Stan Tekiela, naturalist/author of various books, including BIRDS OF MINNESOTA, BIRDS OF WISCONSIN, etc. I purchased 600 mealworms from WBU. First, 100 for $2.50; 500 for $7.50...nice and convenient, and to be sure my birds would like mealworms. First, hoping to attract Bluebirds; however, since they didn't stop here; my chickadees love them, so. WBU price for 1,000 is $13.00, compared with $15 and $18.45 for 3,000 from Worm Man's Worm Farm and Nature's Way. So... Happy bluebirding! Stan Date: Wed, 28 Mar 2001 20:26:54 -0500 I don't know where you guys get your mealies, but check out www.rainbowmealworms.com It's the best price I have found, and sometimes they have a special and give you extra ones. Date: Wed, 28 Mar 2001 21:07:51 -0500 I also have used Rainbow mealworms. They stand by their guarentee of
live delivery too. I've been using them over a year and I like
them too. Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2001 12:31:18 -0400 (EDT) "Theresa Brandt" Theresa"at"Bowecho.com wrote: I had never seen an Eastern Bluebird first hand until about ten minutes ago. I hung my bluebird box in front of my computer window- about twenty feet out from the house, where I could see it very clearly. Not a great location for birds, but safe, and easy for me. Just a few minutes ago, an Eastern Bluebird flew over to check it out! What a kick! Isn't it thrilling to be able to look out your window and see bluebirds? This is also my first year as a bluebird landlord and having the pleasure of seeing them several times a day is wonderful. I certainly understand why the Algonquin Indians said that the Eastern Bluebirds carried the Earth on their breasts and the Sky on their backs. can someone post a link for the company to buy mealworms This was current a couple of weeks ago when I posted it to rec.birds: Prices in the chart below are for 5000 medium size worms unless otherwise indicated. Most, if not all, suppliers ship 2nd day area via commercial carriers and/or USPS and guarantee live delivery; check websites for details. If I haven't given a shipping cost, it's because there wasn't any listed on the webpage. This is probably because the supplier ships via commercial carrier and needs an address in order to calculate shipping cost. If a supplier tells you he needs an address in order to calculate shipping for US Priority Mail, run, don't walk away, because he is either clueless or untruthful. (US Priority Mail is based only on weight, not distance.) My favorite supplier, cricketfarm.com, seems to have merged with wormman/cricketfarms and is no longer the lowest priced. I've written to the new owner a couple times and ask him if he'll meet the former owner's price, but haven't got a response. SUPPLIER (LOCATION) COST PER 5000 SHIPPING TOTAL armstrongcrickets.com 27.50 free 27.50 GA/LA) [1] Price is per 3000, not 5000. Of all those listed, the only one I've used is Nature's Way; just got my first order of 5000 from them yesterday. I'd ordered 5000 medium and it seemed to me they were a bit on the small side, but that might be because I store mine in wheat bran instead of the fridge and I'm used to seeing bigger ones. So I just dumped these guys in some bran filled tubs with some potatoes and carrots; they'll be fattened up by the time I'm ready to feed them to the birds. I've heard good things about Grubco and will probably try them next time. The grubs from the batch of mealworms I bought in February have all turned into beetles so maybe someday I'll get some worms from them. Jordan Brooks, central North Carolina Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2001 21:27:07 -0500 Hi Bluebirders! I have used Rainbow Mealworms exclusively for three years and have always had excellent service. The worms have always arrived in great condition and arrive in one day after ordering if ordered by 10:00 AM western time. I noticed that Rainbow is also the cheapest on the list. Again, I only treat my birds once a day to a few mealies, so in no way are they dependent on me for their survival. Some days they ignore them for hours, which tells me they are finding plenty of natural food. Tomorrow is the conference for the Minnesota Bluebird Recovery Program, and I am so excited to go and talk with other Bluebirders. Mary Roen, River Falls, WI My favorite supplier, cricketfarm.com, seems to have merged Date: 17 Jun 2001 02:47:08 -0000 Hello EveryBIRDie! Sometimes my mealworms turn dark. What causes this? And, do I assume this is one step toward its being a "dead" mealworm? Because, thereafter they seem lifeless. Thanks! Stan Date: Sat, 16 Jun 2001 23:32:22 -0400 "Stan, St. Paul, MN [444355N -- 0931303W]" wrote: Hello EveryBIRDie! I believe, indeed, that a black mealworm is a dead mealworm. Date: Tue, 15 Jan 2002 15:23:19 -0000 Does anyone order from these people? We got such a great price...I ordered 10,000 at a time. I tried to order, and their web site is not up and I don't have their phone #. Ordered from Rainbow last week since I couldn't find Sunshine...they were to ship that day and have never arrived. I just called them and they don't even have a record of my order! Blah! How frustrating for all my little tweets! Date: Tue, 15 Jan 2002 09:47:26 -0600 Diane, I am not familiar with Sunshine Mealworms. I have dealt with Rainbow Mealworms
for many years and have never had any problems with them. I
suppose problems can come up with any ordering company. If you
find an address or email for Sunshine Mealworms, could you please
share it with the list? I am always looking for a cheaper place
to purchase them, although here in Wisconsin, Idon't have Bluebirds
until April. Mary Roen, River Falls, WI Date: Tue, 15 Jan 2002 15:58:25 -0000 Diane, Date: Tue, 15 Jan 2002 16:05:23 -0000 Oh boy, thanks so much, what a quick reply. They were only about $30 for 10,000. Rainbow is quite a bit more than that. I will surely jot the number down for future reference. I called the number, and it is still working thought they weren't in. Have to first make sure Rainbow didn't find my order and ship it this morning after my call. 20,000 worms would surely make them chubby and not able to fit into the 1 1/2" hole. Date: Tue, 15 Jan 2002 16:56:00 -0000 Just ordered my 10,000 worms, they are alive and well (Sunshine I was referring to...but then hopefully their worms will be too) even though they no longer have a web site. It was $29 less a 10% discount for 10,000 worms. Airborne express was only a little over $12 in shipping from coast to coast. Am going out of town on Friday, so needed to get them here by then. A LOT less than Rainbow. This supply should do me for the winter. Sure appreciate the quick response. Next thing we know, it will be nesting season folks! Hope mine is as successful as it was last year. I have five nesting boxes, from last year, then my son (who is newly into woodworking) made four more for me for Christmas. I have (depending on the day) 6-7 regularly munching down the worms and eating the suet. Hubby says I have the most spoiled birds in the country. Tis fun though! Date: Tue, 15 Jan 2002 18:16:56 -0000 Just a reminder to everyone: I've put a bunch of bluebird-related links into the "Bookmarks" section of this forum. There's a whole section on mealworms, including websites and phone numbers for several different companies. I hope this will be a good resource for all of us. Feel free to add more links! From: EHDerry"at"aol.com Hi All! A couple of weeks ago there was a discussion on this list on where to
get the best mealworms. I took a sugggestion from a post and ordered 1,000 from
JennaBird. I called the order in on Wednesday morning and they were in my
mailbox at 10 a.m. on Friday. The worms came in a 1 quart plastic container
(with small holes in the top) and with wheat germ in with the worms. When I have
ordered worms from other suppliers, they have come in a packing carton with egg
carton halves inside the outside box and all of the worms crawling around inside
and between flaps and any other hiding place And now to the status of my EABLS. We have the same pair back in our yard this year and they have again chosen the same nestbox. The nest is about half complete - no action today due to heavy rain. I hope I am not optimistic in thinking that we could have an egg in another week. I put six other boxes up in new locations this year. So far no takers. But it is early. I have put monofilament on them all now after finding a bird pecked to death a couple of weeks ago in one of the new boxes. It was not a bluebird, but other than that I was unable to determine what kind it was since it was so badly mutilated. Happy Bluebirding to all! And thanks to everyone who has made suggestions
that have helped me and others fairly new to bluebirding. I have learned so Judy Date: Sat, 13 Apr 2002 22:54:29 -0400 Haleya Priest Amherst MA From: "Randy Jones" randyj"at"enter.net I couldn't agree more. When I was a newbie, David responded to one of my posts asking for help by offering me gratis several nestbox kits and inviting me to visit him in Maryland. I did so, walked one of his trails with him, and experienced him as you have described him, Haleya. He is, apparently, not only a hard-working businessman, but a dedicated, principled, indeed a fine human being. May there be more like him! Thanks again, David! Randy Jones From: "Kelley Family" herbsho"at"usmo.com Could someone provide a recommendation for a mail order source of Mealy worms. Thanks. Herb From: "Mary Beth Roen" mbroen"at"hotmail.com Herb, I order all my mealworms from Rainbow Mealworms, Inc. in Compton, CA. The telephone number is (800)777-9676. The worms arrive airmail in 2 days usually, and have always been in excellent condition. They even trust you by sending a bill after the worms arrive! You can buy them in quantities of 2,000, 3,000, 5,000, 10,000, 20,000, or 40,000! I usually buy 5,000 at a time. Mary Roen, River Falls, WI From: "Doug Rohde" d.rohde"at"attbi.com We are currently using Grubco (www.grubco.com). Date: Thu, 09 May 2002 22:08:56 -0400 Jennabirds"at"aol.com David Magness is a NABS member and member of other affiliate groups, is on the board of NABS and has a fantastic array of bluebird items for sale. His prices on mealworms are great and he ships them right away. He is one of "us". :-) H From: "CJ Hazer" CeeJaaHzr"at"starband.net I've order 1000 Large mealworms from NA Bluebird Society. I've yet to get them, but I only ordered them on 5/7-Tues. CJ Hazer From: Jgandy8580"at"aol.com Those in the Northeast looking for meal worms should try The Superworm Farm Inc on the Internet. I get mine from them and am quite satisfied with their price and prompt delivery. From: "College Town" collegetown"at"I-55.com Hi. Where do you order your mealworms from? I ordered mine from Grubco last time. They are backed up right now and will not be able to ship until the middle of next week. Any other suggestions? Also when I do receive my next batch of mealworms, is it okay to add them to the ones I have now? I put them in oatmeal (I will not do that again), I will use cornmeal and a sifter next time. However, I would like to pick out the ones in the oatmeal and put them with the new ones in the cornmeal. I left them out today and gave them an apple. That was nice b/c when I wanted to feed the bb, I just pulled out the apple with mealworms on it and put them in the dish. (just the mealworms, not the apple). Kim From: "Mary Beth Roen" mbroen"at"hotmail.com Kim, I have ordered my mealies from Rainbow Mealworms (800)777-9676, however I priced 5000 at Grubco, and their shipping cost is $5.00 cheaper than Rainbow for the same amount, so I think I'll try them next time. Mary Roen, River Falls, WI From: "College Town" collegetown"at"I-55.com Kerry, I just called Armstrong and they said in the refrig. the mealworms would only last 3 weeks to a month? I thought they would last longer. Is this correct? Kim ... From: "Mary Beth Roen" mbroen"at"hotmail.com Donna and all, There must be quite a demand for mealworms everywhere. I ordered 5000 from Rainbow ($28) and it took a full week for them to come. It used to be 1-2 days! It just bothers me that there is a $12 shipping and handling fee on $16 worth of mealies. When they came in 1-2 days it was bad enough, but when it took a week, I thought I may try another source.They were in good condition. I buy the large ones so I get more for my money. Mary Roen, River Falls, WI From: "College Town" collegetown"at"I-55.com I know what you mean about the demand for mealworms. I was going to order from Rainbow on Monday morning b/c she said if I ordered today they would just sit in the warehouse over the weekend. They told me it would cost $25.06 and would be here Wednesday. After hearing your story, I have to wonder. For others info. Grubco is not shipping out till the middle of next week for repeat customers and for new customers they cannot ship out till June 10th. Nature's Way--lost alot of their crop and will not be shipping out for at least 3 weeks Armstrong--They say they can ship out now, but it is expensive. $29.50 (shipping included) for 5,000 mealworms to be delivered by Saturday if I order today. Anybody want to open a mealworm business????? Business is BOOMING!!!!! Kim From: EHDerry"at"aol.com This subject has been discussed many times but for those newcomers, I will give you my suggestion for the purchase of mealworms: Jenna Bird in Maryland. They ship only M-Th and they ship priority so you will have the worms before weekend so they won't have to sit somewhere for delivery. David Mangess is the owner and he is a bluebird educator. I know from personal experience that he ships the same day I call, if M-Th. The costs are $6 for 1,000 plus $4 for shipping or $15 for 3,000 plus $5 for shipping. They are good healthy worms when they arrive and easy to handle as they are in plastic quart containers instead of being loose in a box. I think you will like doing business with Jenna Bird. Their email is JennaBirds"at"aol.com. Their phone number is 1-800-500-2473. Leave a Message is no one answers and they will call you back. Judy From: "Lynn Ward" lWard"at"pmai.org From: "College Town" collegetown"at"I-55.com Lynn, The website for Sunshine is www.sunshinemealworms.com Their phone number is 1-800-322-1100. I am not sure where exactly they are located. I just tried calling them to ask and they were still closed. Packaging--Carboard box with holes punched in it. Inside the box was a bag that contained the mealworms and newspaper. Shipping--was $5.50 for 3,000 and also 5,000 (I think). I did not really notice any that were dead. I was real pleased with the service. I orderdered on Monday and I received them Wed. I hope this helps you. If I can answer any other questions, please let me know. Kim From: "Valerie Passoa" vapassoa"at"ameritech.net Hello Everyone, Although this is my first post, I read the list in digest form and would like to thank all of you for your helpful and thoughtful Messages. Regards, Valerie Passoa Powell, Ohio From: "Valerie Passoa" vapassoa"at"ameritech.net Hello Everyone, Although this is my first post, I read the list in digest form and would like to thank all of you for your helpful and thoughtful Messages. Regards, Valerie Passoa Powell, Ohio Date: Sun, 09 Jun 2002 18:27:23 -0400 Haleya Priest Amherst MA From: "Mary Beth Roen" mbroen"at"hotmail.com Hi Everyone! I received my first order of mealworms from Sunshine Mealworms this week. I ordered 5000, and they came in 2 days. They were in better shape than the ones I ordered from Rainbow Mealworms earlier this spring. The worms from Rainbow took 7 days to get here, and were not very active when they arrived. Many also died. The cost for the 5000 from Rainbow was $28.15 total, and the cost for the 5000 from Sunshine was $20.65 total! I'm sure you can guess where I'll be ordering mine from now on! Sunshine gave me a 10% discount on the worms because I was using them to feed Bluebirds! Mary Roen, River Falls, WI From: "Mary Beth Roen" mbroen"at"hotmail.com Hi everyone, I was asked for the address and phone number of Sunshine Mealworms. Here it is: Mary Roen, River Falls, WI From: "Cheryl Rindfleisch" rindfleisch12"at"hotmail.com Their web site is www.sunshinemealworms.com Ordering is also fast and easy from their web site and they arrive in no time! Cheryl R. Date: Mon, 24 Jun 2002 19:31:15 -0700 (PDT) I order all my mealworms from Grubco.com for the price of 5000 mealworms for $18 and 10,000 for $34. Check out the website and see what other things like crickets, etc.. Darrell in N.E. Ohio Stark County Coordinator Ohio Bluebird Society From: "Anne-Marie Palermino" ampalermino"at"msn.com Just before dawn, I had 4 bluebirds on a tree by the bluebird box. I think they know it is going to snow and they need to find shelter. At any rate, I have never bought mealworms and intend to do so. Several sizes are offered; mini, small, medium and large. What is the best size for them ? Do they really keep dormant in the fridge? is there a good site explaining how to "grow" them? Anne-Marie Palermino From: "Snoopy" snoopy"at"wmis.net If you find a site, please let me know as well..... I ahve never had them
before and have no idea where I could even get them around here!!! joy in the boonies in michigan To: ampalermino"at"msn.com, Bluebird-L"at"cornell.edu Anne-Marie, At first I always bought the medium mealworms, but there is usually no difference in cost between the sizes, so now I buy the large ones, because you get more for your money. If the worms are too large to feed young nestlings, the parents hit the worms against something to mash them up and feed smaller portions. Yes, they do go dormant in the refrigerator. Just be sure to put enough corn meal in with them so they don't get clumped together, and they need to be taken out every week or so for a few hours, and given a chance to eat and get moisture from an apple slice or potato slice. If you put them in corn meal, you can just sift the mealies out instead of picking them out one by one in oatmeal. Mary Roen, River Falls, WI Just before dawn, I had 4 bluebirds on a tree by the bluebird box. I ... From: "Bruce Burdett" blueburd"at"tds.net Snoopy, ... Date: Mon, 17 Feb 2003 09:05:26 -0500 In these days of worldwide internet, EVERYTHING is available "around here." :-) Besides Grubco, I have also used Rainbow and Sunshine. All three are available on the internet and sell medium size mealworms for about $15 to $20 for a bag of 5000, which should last you for several months. I used to buy from Grubco, but was lured away by somewhat lower prices at Rainbow and Sunshine where I bought my last two orders (respectively). However, for my next order, I'm going to give Grubco another try. Both the Rainbow and Sunshine worms were on the small side, seemed dehydrated and rather docile. I fattened them up with some cornmeal and potatoes. I'll let you know what the Grubco worms look like after I place my next order. Mealworms will keep fine in the fridge for many months. Even a cool basement or garage will keep their activity low. You just don't want them turning into the pupa stage (unless you intend to raise them). Do as others have suggested and let them feed occasionally. I am a HUGE proponent of using mealworms to lure blues to your yard and to
train them to come close to your house when you call them at feeding I have also successfully raised my own mealworms, but that's a story for another post. From: "Fawzi P. Emad femad <at> fpemad <dot> com We have tested size (small, medium and large, but not the mini nor the jumbo,) and found that the Bluebirds around here prefer the large size. My favorite place to get them is Jennabird, they deliver them in excellent condition (in a sack with newspapers.) Call Dave at 1-800-500-2473 to place your order. Price is competitive, around $21 per 5000. Quality is excellent! You can also view the site at http://www.jennabird.com Fawzi Fawzi Emad in Laytonsville, Maryland ----- Original Message ----- ... From: "suziq" lghughes"at"
joink.com
Did you know that you can buy mealies at almost any bait shop--maybe not the
same price, but no shipping charges, and no waiting for them to come. Our bait
shop donated 500 when I first started, because it was to feed the bluebirds. I
have repaid them from my "Hatchery" they are a fascinating thing to raise. From: "Paula" PaulaZ"at"columbus.rr.com Would others please recommend their favorite mealworm suppliers - interested in best mealworms for least amount.. I've tried a couple different ones. One supplier sent a large number of dead ones. Another sent a batch with another beetle (lesser mealworm I believe) crawling around in supply. Who does it right? Paula Z From: "Mary Beth Roen" mbroen"at"hotmail.com Paula, I have used Rainbow Mealworms (1-800-777-9676) and Sunshine Mealworms (1-800-322-1100), but I have been most happy with Sunshine. One order I got from Rainbow had a lot of dead ones too. So far, I have had good luck with Sunshine. Mary Roen, River Falls, WI Would others please recommend their favorite mealworm suppliers - ... From: "Fawzi P. Emad femad <at> fpemad <dot> com My favorite supplier is Jennabird 1-800-500-2473 or www.jennabird.com Excellent dependable quality, quick response, good price. Fawzi Emad in Laytonsville, Maryland ----- Original Message ----- ... Date: Tue, 22 Jul 2003 14:58:34 -0700 (PDT) I use Jennabird and wormman. Jennabird is more expensive but no one compares with their quality. I used to use Rainbow but would receive many dead mealies in a shipment once in awhile. Rainbow would always send replacements. Problem with Rainbow was that I would order over the internet and it would give me a price however, the invoice that I recieved was different from the quoted price at least 75% of the time. Sometimes the invoice was lower than the quote but most of the time it was higher. Sometimes much higher than quoted. Mary Beth Roen mbroen"at"hotmail.com wrote:Paula, I have used Rainbow Mealworms (1-800-777-9676) and Sunshine Mealworms ... Eyes wide open; always hoping for the sun Bob Sitarski a.k.a The Doctor Jackson County Indiana ( 38.5244N 86.023W ), Clay County Illinois ( 38.4008N 88.2908W ) & Erie County New York ( 42.46N 78.36W ) From: "Nancy C. Hebb" Fencroft"at"msn.com I've been using Grubco....haven't tried many others. I had one small problem with wax worm container coming open in shipment (outer carton obviously was very badly treated in transit) and they replaced the whole lot (though many were OK, just "loose") and paid the extra shipping of the replacements. I've bought their medium mealworms and been pleased with how they'll grow, given a chance, or stay dormant in the 'fridge. But as I said, comparisons with other suppliers would be valuable to me, too....as a newbie. I have noticed that you must watch shipping amounts closely. Others looked cheaper than Grubco online until I checked the shipping amounts.... NCH in MICH From: "Zimmerman, Bet" Sunshine currently gives a 10% discount if you are feeding bluebirds. Bet from CT... From: C & G Statton Chris Statton, NWPA Jim ... I'm sorry to read of Mr. Patterson's experience with Rainbow Mealworms. I, too, have had a bit of a similar experience. Mostly, I raise my own worms. Sometimes, however, the blues' demand outsteps my bins' productivity and I have to buy worms. I used to deal only with Grubco. Then, their "large" worms ended up smaller than the little worms in my bins. Huh? WHY was I buying worms as small as what I already had? So, I - twice - tried Rainbow. Their packaging of worms was impressive. BUT ... same question ... why was I buying worms as small (or SMALLER) as those in my bins - in spite of ordering "large" worms ... ??? NOT at all to be a commercial ... but ... really ... pretty much now THE only mealworm source I feel comfortable suggesting ... Jenna Bird. In many ways my business and Jenna Bird are competitors ... but, without fail, for wormies ... I recommend Jenna Bird every time. I'll major differ on nestboxes and feeders. But, for worms, Jenna Bird is the BEST!!! Feel comfortable passing this recommendation on. Unless/until Jenna Bird decides to "down-size" the mealworms they sell ... GO for it! REALLY appreciate you passing this e-mail on. From: Anne-Marie Palermino, ampalermino"AT"msn.com I agree Jenna Bird is an excellent supplier of mealworms Anne-Marie Lincoln, RI
From: Mary Roen ...I too, used Rainbow for my mealworms for years. Then I got a shipment that was bad, many dead worms and the rest were mushy. I now order from Sunshine and the large worms are large, and in very good condition. I would highly recommend them. Mary Roen, River Falls, WI From: Paula, PaulaZ"AT"columbus.rr.com I have to agree with Chris. I bought mealworms from Jenna Bird last time and they were some beautiful worms. I have never tried Rainbow. I used to buy from Grubco and was happy until the last batch contained a bunch of mystery beetles. I decided if they had that little control over their worm breeding, I didn't want to take the risk of bringing a pest beetle to my home. I called Grubco to complain, but they were not concerned. I am wondering if maybe the lady who answers the phone at Grubco is the same one who hung up on Mr. Patterson at Rainbow. She sounded like she wanted to hang up on me, but I beat her to the punch.... Paula Z Powell (Central) Ohio From: College Town, collegetown"at"I-55.com Hi. I have received several emails requesting my findings as to where to purchase mealworms. A couple of people suggested I post this info. to the list as they were interested in where to purchase mealworms also.
I hope this helps. Thanks to all that sent me the information. Kim From: Stan Blaylock, stanb103"at"bellsouth.net ADD: WILD BIRDS UNLIMITED Stan Blaylock Pelham, AL From: PTomm ptom"at"austin.rr.com Nature's Way is www.thenaturesway.com (Note: the word "the" comes in from of "naturesway") Pauline Tom Mountain City (no mountains) TX [Note from webmaster: phone numbers and hyperlinks below:
From: Robert Mulvihill, blonde2"at"earthlink.net I'm in Connecticut and I am attempting to locate a good source of meal worms as food for the blues in my yard. Any information would be appreciated Bob From:
Fawzi P. Emad, femad"at"comcast.net One of the best sources in my experience is: Jennabirds, 800-500-2473, jennabirds"at"aol.net http://www.jennabird.com/ From: Michelle Martin, shell7"at"cox.net ...I usually get my mealworms from www.rainbowmealworms.com only because they offer small or medium size along with the large. I see that www.jennabird.com only offers large. Now, I've read and asked opinions on this, and buying the large mealworms for breeding isn't a good idea. That the large are usually not fertile, due to what they are fed to fatten them up. What do suggest ? I'd love to buy from jennabird because it is much cheaper than rainbow. What do think on this ? Thanks for any advice ! From: Fawzi P. Emad, femad"at"comcast.net They are not fed anything unusual. It takes time (several sheddings) to get larger in size, hence these are the better ones, but it is easier to produce the smaller ones. Tests were made (by the late Betty Nichols,) and she found that the Eastern Bluebirds prefer the larger size, and did not touch the smaller ones if large ones were available. The large are ready to pupate, hence ready to make more mealworms if that is what you want to do. You can call the owner of Jennabirds (Dave Magness) and confirm that nothing except natural food is given to these mealworms. I have used Mealies from Jennabirds for a long time now... and the quality is unsurpassed! From: Paula, PaulaZ"at"columbus.rr.com I think there may be some confusion regarding labeling of mealworm sizes. Some mealworm suppliers offer "giant" mealworms which have been treated with growth hormone and are sterile. I have read that the "giant" mealworms are fine for fish bait, but not a wise choice for feeding birds or pet lizards, etc. because of the chemicals the worms have ingested. When mealworms are sold as "small", "medium" or "large", it generally refers to the different growth stages of a regular mealworm, large being the stage just before they pupate. Jenna Bird mealworms are large and definitely not sterile. In fact, you will probably need to refrigerate them to keep them from pupating and turning to beetles if you want to feed a number of them to the bluebirds. If there is any question, don't hesitate to call the supplier and ask them. Paula Z Powell (Central) Ohio From: Tnbluebirdman"at"aol.com Hi Group, I am wanting to order 6000 meal worms and I cannot access the Rainbow meal worm site!! Anyone else finding the same thing? Can someone please give me an alternative supplier with about the same cost? Thanks, Bob in Tenn. From: Fawzi P. Emad
[mailto:femad"at"comcast.net] A faster way to order from Jenna Bird is to call 1-800-500-2473. Fawzi Emad in Laytonsville, Maryland femad"AT"comcast.net From: Bet Zimmerman [mailto:ezdz"at"charter.net]
Yvonne Domings told me about Reptile Food. I just got 10,000 large mealworms (I always get the large--same price as small/medium) from them for $44.43 (including shipping) and was very pleased. There were more than 10,000 in the shipment, not a SINGLE dead worm, all good sized, had potato food with them, and were shipped in boxes with screens that had egg cartons-like cardboard in them (easier to deal with than the crumpled paper. I still dump everything out into a white plastic bag.) Plus a portion of the proceeds goes to the Purple Martin Conservation Association if you go through the link below. http://www.reptilefood.com/PMCA Bet from CT From: PTom [mailto:ptom"at"austin.rr.com] Steven, Your question offers me a prompt for a special announcement about mealworm purchases, for those, like you, who feed mealworms and for those who want to give it a try. Effective immediately, North American Bluebird Society (NABS) members receive a 15% discount from two major mealworm distributors, The Natures Way and Sunshine. See the NABS website for details (www.nabluebirdsociety.org). And, this year each new NABS member will receive a coupon for 1,000 free mealworms through the mail. The new member will pay only for shipping. This announcement will be made public on Sunday, January 29th. I'm no expert, but from what I've read and heard, one cannot feed wild birds too much because regardless of how much you feed, wild birds will obtain only a portion of their food each day from feeders. They will get a balanced diet through other food sources. I enjoy feeding mealworms to a variety of bird species using a variety of "mealworm feeders". Since I do not want to offer mealworms only to bluebirds, I have only one feeder that requires entry through a 1-1/2 inch hole on each end. I use acrylic feeders that stick to my windows, hanging acrylic trays with an acrylic dome, bowls, and open trays. Also, I toss some on my back porch. Two mornings this week I was awakened by a Canyon Wren's loud downward trill. He was sitting on the empty acrylic feeder on my bedroom door window ... demanding a breakfast treat. I also have a Curved-billed Thrasher who loves mealworms. He sits in front of the window in front of my computer and cocks his head sideways or jumps up and down on a feeder to tell me it's time to put out some mealies. Goodness! What folks are missing when they feed mealworms only to bluebirds! A wonderful thing about mealworms is that they attract birds (including bluebirds) that do not eat seed. I will enjoy the new discount for NABS members, that's for sure! Pauline Tom From: Tnbluebirdman"at"aol.com [mailto:Tnbluebirdman"at"aol.com] List, From: PTom [mailto:ptom"at"austin.rr.com] Sent: Saturday, February 05, 2005 2:29 PM Subject: Re: Need Meal Worm Vendor! At the North American Bluebird Society website (www.nabluebirdsociety.org) you'll find a link to two mealworm suppliers (The Nature's Way and Sunshine). These distributors now give a 15% discount to NABS members. New members to NABS in 2005 will get a coupon by mail for 1,000 free mealworms. (The new member will pay only for S&H.) Until February 14th there's opportunity to "double dip" -
combining the free Pauline Tom From: PTom [mailto:ptom"at"austin.rr.com] I talked with Dave Magness, who is "JennaBirds". He wants everyone to know that he got cancer, and he's fighting to beat it. He is at home now, with a long journey ahead after a bone marrow transplant. For about a year he'll pretty much be "quarantined", to lessen the possibility of infection. He appreciates the thoughts and prayers and 400 unanswered emails that he has waiting on his computer. For those who want to send a note or card or Valentine: Pauline Tom From: Paula [mailto:PaulaZ"at"columbus.rr.com] Sent: Sunday, February 06, 2005 8:50 AM Subject: Re: Need Meal Worm Vendor! Bob, I would suggest going to: In defense of Jenna Bird, I will tell you that I hear the owner is battling a life threatening illness. I imagine the company is a small family owned business so the lack or response is certainly understandable. They have always provided me with the utmost quality - top notch organization, and I would certainly not hesitate to order from them in the future. Paula Z From: Tnbluebirdman"at"aol.com [mailto:Tnbluebirdman"at"aol.com] Sent: Sunday, February 06, 2005 9:48 AM Subject: Many Thanks!! To all those who shared info about meal worm vendors, I thank
you. I ordered 5000ea. from 3 different vendors so that I can
make a good all around comparison. In the event that my past
order from Jennabird comes in, I will not have to reorder for
a very long time. I use a feeder with a hole in each end and
don't worry about any other birds eating all my mealies except
my resident pair of Blues and my local pair of Carolina Wrens.
I don't mind the sharing between those 2 families... Bob in NE Tn. From: Larry A Broadbent [mailto:rockets"at"mnsi.net] Dear List members, Reason I'm asking is because I'm now going into the market
place here in Canada as a supplier of Mealworms to Bluebirders
and to Pet stores. Any information you are able to share will be greatly appreciated. Kind regards, From: Larry A Broadbent [mailto:rockets"at"mnsi.net] Homemade Mealworm Suet Cakes Since I now have my own Mealworm farm, and all kinds of Mealworms, I decided to make some of my own Rendered Beef Suet cakes with ingredients like, cracked corn, Black oil sunflower seeds, sunflower hearts, currents, raisins, peanuts, natural crunch peanut butter, natural flower, cornmeal, quick oats, and of course live mealworms. The woodpeckers, nuthatches, and Bluejays go absolutely nuts over these suet cakes. I'm going to make another batch of 30 or more cakes, as the birds go thorough them in no time at all. Shalom, From: Sharon Peregrine Johnson [mailto:sharonpj"at"swbell.net] Please contact me if you know how to reach David Magness,
Jenna Bird owner. For the past week, I have been trying to order the 2 Jenna Bird Bluebird nesting boxes and one of the Bolt Trap Type "H" (mine are several years old and I need some replacements). The others from Audubon and other souces do not open from the front, top down and no one seems to carry the Bold Trap (fits inside the Jenna Bird bluebird nesting box). 1. When caIl the toll free and regular phone numbers, I continually
get the Message "not a valid mail box." Also, I noticed that the Jenna Bird website mentions holiday ordering, and I do not think the site is being updated. Is David Magness still making Bluebird houses and the Bold trap? Is someone else making the front opening boxes (opens from top down)? Sharon Peregrine Johnson From: Cher [mailto:BluebirdNut"at"a-znet.com] Sharon, Dave has been very ill this past year, and I received an e-mail recently in which he stated that they would reluctantly have to temporarily close Jenna Bird down until fall '05. I have a link for a site that tells how to make the Bolt trap, but thus far haven't found a source for obtaining them already made. Will let you know if I find anything. Cher -----Original Message----- Thank you so much for letting me know about David. His houses are the best and his dedication to Bluebirds is awesome. I was afraid that something was wrong, and will keep him in my prayers. David was very helpful in showing me understanding and kindness when I had to effectively handle my sparrow problem. It would not have been possible without his houses and the Bolt trap. I will write to him and express my good wishes, and express my appreciation for his kindness. Perhaps one of my butterfly photos might lift his spirits. Thank you again. Sharon From: RMoore1718"at"aol.com [mailto:RMoore1718"at"aol.com] Bob From: Paula [mailto:PaulaZ"at"columbus.rr.com] Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2005 1:47 AM Subject: Re: Mealworms Bob, If you are a NABS member, you can get a 15% discount on mealworms
from Sunshine or Nature's Way. Check out: Paula Z From: Sheila Rogers [mailto:sheilarogers"at"charter.net] You can buy meal worms at Longs and Petco, if Walmart does sell them, they would be in the pet supplies. I bought some at Longs and you get 25 for 2.50 Sheila From: Bill Stump [mailto:bstump"at"bright.net] Sent: Wednesday, March 23, 2005 10:30 PM Subject: Mealworms at Walmart I'm from Southwest Ohio and our Walmart Superstore carries live bait in a refrigerated case in the fishing tackle department. Meal worms are often used for fishing bait. We had waxworms, red worms and nightcrawlers. I didn't see any mealworms but they had them listed on their price sheet. Bill From: Cher [mailto:BluebirdNut"at"a-znet.com] Ok, so I called my local SuperWalmart and asked for the sporting equipment dept. They DO sell live bait, but don't have mealworms on the menu. I didn't ask if they'd be willing to add them . . . So I guess it depends on where you are. Do you remember the pricing on the list, Bill? Was it better than online purchasing? Cher From: Lana Hunt [mailto:lanahunt"at"kcp.uky.edu] Cher, I got tubs of 30 for $1.27 each tub. Lana To: 'Lana Hunt'; BluebirdNut"at"a-znet.com; bstump"at"bright.net If you buy them online, you can get 100 for about 95 cents, or larger volumes like 10,000 for 34.00 plus shipping. (Prices vary - see http://www.sialis.org/bluebirdstore.htm#mealworms). From: Lana Hunt [mailto:lanahunt"at"kcp.uky.edu] Sent: Sunday, March 27, 2005 4:39 PM Subject: RE: Mealworms at Walmart Bet, thanks. That is a much better bargain! When I buy them at Walmart they are in the refrigerated sectiion in little cups that have air holes in the lid. I suppose they have that worked out in the shipping? I keep them in the refrigerator at home, is this necessary? Lana From: Christy [mailto:ke4fej1"at"email.msn.com] Sent: Sunday, March 27, 2005 4:52 PM Subject: Re: Mealworms at Walmart Hi All, I just had to think.... Wow! 10,000 worms... after a month of getting 200 I started to have all I could handle with their offspring... but From: Elizabeth Zimmerman [mailto:ezdz"at"charter.net] Sent: Sunday, March 27, 2005 5:54 PM Subject: RE: Mealworms at Walmart They ship overnight/2 day shipping. I've had a few dead shipments over the years, but most places offer a live guarantee and were great about replacements. They may delay shipping in really nasty weather. In cold weather, Reptile Foods puts little heater packs in the boxes. I usually get 5-10,000 large mealworms at a time. From: Nina Everett [mailto:NINAUT"at"CHARTER.NET] Sent: Saturday, April 02, 2005 4:54 PM Subject: Re: Mealworm dishes ...Where here is the place to find mealworms? From: Shawn [mailto:shawnee4"at"charter.net] Sent: Saturday, April 02, 2005 5:18 PM Subject: Re: Mealworm dishes ... From: oinker"at"comcast.net [mailto:oinker"at"comcast.net] Sent: Saturday, May 07, 2005 7:57 PM Subject: Where to buy Mealworms I recently bought 5,000 mealworms from Grubco. They were supposed to be size Medium. They looked extra small and were not very active. Where is the best place to buy mealworms? Ruth From: Bet Zimmerman [mailto:ezdz"at"charter.net] Sent: Sunday, May 08, 2005 2:44 PM Subject: RE: Where to buy Mealworms Here's a list of online/mailorder suppliers of mealworms: http://www.sialis.org/bluebirdstore.htm#mealworms Probably lots of different preferences, based on size, timely shipping, packaging (I like Reptile Foods because they ship in boxes with egg cartons, as opposed to worms in muslin bags with crumpled newspaper, and they are consistently big and juicy looking), aliveness, guarantee, and price. NABS members can get discounts at Sunshine and Nature's Way. Bet from CT From: mfpino"at"comcast.net [mailto:mfpino"at"comcast.net] Sent: Sunday, May 08, 2005 8:20 PM Subject: Re: Where to buy Mealworms and other news Hello all, I buy my mealworms from Nature's Way and have had good luck with them. I buy them in bulk and keep them "as is" in my garage refrigerator. I have read some of the responses about the worms. Am I supposed to store them a certain way? As I said, I keep them in the sack and the newpapers, just as they are shipped. I also have some good bird news after finding the dead bluebird babies last week. I have a new nest, in a new box, with 3 eggs so far. I am keeping my fingers crossed. I also saw my first hummingbird this morning. I made some nectar and put it out after it cooled down. So, to those of you who live in Southeasterm Mazzzchusetts, the hummers are back! It is really great that so many people care about the birds. Enjoy the week. Maria From: agriffee [mailto:agriffee"at"adelphia.net] I remember when I joined NABS mention of purchasing mealworms at a discount. Bought 1000 today at bait shop but paid $23.27 for the lot. Have looked all over site but don't see the supplier for Bluebird-I. From: Jean Carter Wilson [mailto:peanut123"at"comcast.net] Sent: Monday, June 20, 2005 9:22 PM Subject: Re: Mealworms I get mine from Flukers...$6 for 1000. They also have a 'subscription' feature where they can automatically mail you some more at predetermined times. You'll see it at checkout. You can also grow your own worms...there are a bunch of sites online with directions. Let us know if you don't find 'em. http://flukerfarms.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=14 From: Evelyn Cooper [mailto:emcooper"at"bayou.com] Sent: Monday, June 20, 2005 9:18 PM Subject: RE: Mealworms http://www.nabluebirdsociety.org/catalog/mealworms.htm This link above takes you to where the discount is for members. Evelyn From: Jean Carter Wilson [mailto:peanut123"at"comcast.net] Sent: Monday, June 20, 2005 9:26 PM Subject: Re: Mealworms Hey, good deal. MUCH better than Flukers...Sunshine gives bulk From: Trish Culpepper [mailto:trishkcully"at"earthlink.net] Trish - Frankston, TX From: PTom [mailto:ptom"at"austin.rr.com] Sent: Monday, June 20, 2005 11:32 PM Subject: Re: Mealworms - NABS member benefit Upon joining, a North American Bluebird Society (NABS) member is eligible for a 15% discount on mealworms from The Nature's Way and Sunshine. (join on-line at www.nabluebirdsociety.org). Either company will honor your word the first time you place an order, while the membership is in process, if you provide minimal details (for instance, date you joined.) Once a membership expires, the discount is no longer applicable. Stay current! Pauline Tom, Mountain City TX From: Sara Ann [mailto:sawright"at"direcway.com] Sent: Friday, February 24, 2006 6:52 PM Subject: Ordering mealworms I received an order for 5,000 mealworms today. I would be very surprised if there were half that many worms in the bag I received, though it was securely tied. There were lots of shed exoskeletons. I ordered from the same supplier earlier and was suspicious of that order also. From: Lynn Emerich [mailto:lemerich"at"epix.net] Sent: Saturday, April 08, 2006 10:04 AM Subject: mealworms Every Saturday morning, there is a local birdtalk radio program here in Reading Pa. It does go out as far as NY, NJ, DE, and MD at 830 on the am dial and the time is 8am to 10am. Lynn From: Ruth Brinckman [mailto:r.r.brinc"at"comcast.net] I finally have a Bluebird pair building a nest in one of my nestboxes after a one year absence of Blues. So far we have trapped 35 HOSP (a record for one year). I am convinced that without the HOSP control on my part, this EABL pair would not have stayed here. HOSP control is a "MUST" for all birders. From: Cher [mailto:bluelist"at"localnet.com] Sent: Wednesday, April 12, 2006 3:24 PM Subject: Re: HOSP & BLUES update + mealworms Ruth, Personally, I buy them locally from an independently-owned wild bird store, where I can get them for about $25/5K, which is close enough to mail-order prices for me to dispense with the aggravation of having to make sure I'm home when they're delivered so the maniacal delivery person doesn't leave them to bake in the sun. However, I've heard that Reptile Foods is a great source for mealworms online, and if you purchase them through this link, they donate a portion to the PMCA. http://www.reptilefood.com/PMCA In addition, from what I understand, they don't ship in the typical "crumpled newspaper in a burlap sack" packaging - supposedly their system is much neater and easier to unpack. Cher From: denisefarmer"at"comcast.net [mailto:denisefarmer"at"comcast.net] Sent: Wednesday, April 12, 2006 9:28 PM Subject: RE: HOSP & BLUES update + mealworms I get mine from the worm man at http://www.wormman.com/ I also just started a mealworm farm. The worms turned to pupae and then beetles. Hopefully the beetles are laying tons of eggs and I will have hordes of meal worms soon. From: Bet Zimmerman [mailto:ezdz"at"charter.net] Sent: Sunday, April 16, 2006 1:12 PM Subject: RE: HOSP & BLUES update + mealworms Hi Ruth - A few years ago I switched from Grubco to Reptile Foods. I've been happy with them – http://www.sialis.org/bluebirdstore.htm#mealworms – list of all online mealworm suppliers I know Bet from CT From: Michael Kean [mailto:beckettkean"at"worldnet.att.net] Does anyone have a reasonable supplier of mealworms that has them in stock. All of my regular options are out of stock including the supplier listed by NABS. I am into round two of eggs in several houses and although the birds will survive without my help, I become grumpy and intolerable when I can't help. I think we are not supposed to list sites over the list so if you can help please Email me off-list. From: JBrindo"at"aol.com [mailto:JBrindo"at"aol.com] Call Grubco at 1-800-222-3563. I just got 5000 for about $18.00 + shipping. From: Mary Beth Roen [mailto:mbroen"at"hotmail.com] Sent: Wednesday, May 10, 2006 10:48 AM Subject: Re: Mealworms Needed Hi, Sunshine Mealworms sell 5,000 for $16 plus shipping. You get a 10% discount Mary Roen, River Falls, WI From: Steve Murphy Home [mailto:thcri"at"qwest.net] Sent: Sunday, June 25, 2006 2:21 PM Subject: Meal Worms It looks like I can no longer depend on the two local pet suppliers for meal worms. One of them handles them in tubs of 50 each and you pay $3.99 for that tub of 50. The other one I can get a tub of 500 for $5.99 which isn't bad but they never have the tubs of 500 and you have to buy a tub of 100 for $2.99. So I want to buy them online but have found that prices vary all over the place and some it looks like you have to buy your own bedding for them?? Where does every one here buy their meal worms online and do they come so you can just put the container in the refrigerator (if your wife will let Steve Murphy From: denisefarmer"at"comcast.net [mailto:denisefarmer"at"comcast.net] Sent: Sunday, June 25, 2006 3:50 PM Subject: RE: Meal Worms Steve, The wormman sells his in little bags which are great for the fridge. Link below You could start your own farm too, very easy :) http://www.wormman.com/ From: EHDerry"at"aol.com [mailto:EHDerry"at"aol.com] Steve: I have been buying my mealworms this year from Sunshine Mealworms. You can call them or order online. I buy cups of 500 each and they are packed in bedding and you can put them directly in the refrigerator. I do take them out of the fridge once a week and feed them and when I do that for the first time, I transfer them over to Cool-Whip containers in which I have poked small holes in the top. This gives them more room to feed as the container is shallower. From: Cher [mailto:bluelist"at"localnet.com] Sent: Saturday, July 15, 2006 12:53 PM Subject: Problems getting mealworms? Has anyone had any trouble in recent weeks obtaining mealworms? The lady who owns the local wild bird store where I usually obtain mine told me this morning that she didn't know when she'd have more (fortunately, I just got some a week or so ago). The company in Georgia that is her supplier had this week's shipment to her (sent by USPS) returned to them because Hancock Airport in Syracuse would not accept them. This has never happened before, and calling various airports in the area, she came up with the same result. The nearest airport that will accept live animals/insects is in NYC - five hours' drive from Central NY. I wonder how this will affect mealworm retailers who ship directly? And I wonder if there are any big-time suppliers in Central NY? Cher From: Tony [mailto:tjcarita"at"excite.com] I just received an order from http://www.sunshinemealworms.com/ two days ago. From: EHDerry"at"aol.com [mailto:EHDerry"at"aol.com] Cher: I have been ordering mealworms this season through Sunshine Mealworms (and getting a discount as a NABS member). They have been shipped through the USPS. However, when I ordered this week, they were out of large and medium mealworms temporarily. So, I ordered from Rainbow, which is in CA. Those worms arrived in 2 days via DHL. Apparently there was no problem in getting them here to Western New York State. From: Mary Beth Roen [mailto:mbroen"at"hotmail.com] Sent: Saturday, July 15, 2006 6:25 PM Subject: RE: Problems getting mealworms? Cher, I got a shipment a week ago. UPPS was slow in delivering them. I ordered on Wednesday and got the shipment the following Monday. They stayed somewhere over the weekend. I ordered these from Sunshine and they did everything they could to protect them from heat. They even put an icebag in the box with them! Due to the prolonged shipment time, some were dead, but the majority of them are fine. Mary Roen, River Falls, WI From: Dottie Kile [mailto:dmkile"at"alltel.net] Sent: Saturday, July 15, 2006 7:20 PM Subject: RE: Problems getting mealworms? I got a shipment from Sunshine and it arrived in 2 days by DHL. Sunshine had trouble getting them but found some for me on Wednesday afternoon. I live in rural NW GA. USPS will not deliver them to me up here in the mountains. Our temps have been in the upper 90's so they probably won't take a chance is what I'm thinking. Dottie Kile From: Steve and Cindy Groene [mailto:hausgroene"at"comcast.net] Ok, need some advice. Last yr I ordered mealworms from Reptile.com and like their service and their packing setup. Easy to get the worms out. I just went to their website to make my first order. Holy Cow! The shipping charges for 5000 mealworms is nearly $23. That's more than the worms themselves. They are only offering next day delivery and even then, its more than last yr. I tried to go to the Rainbow site for a couple of days and it doesn't come up. Is Rainbow still in business? I went to Worm Man and they want $30 delivered Priority for 5000 large mealworms. Anybody dealt w/ Worm Man and can recommend them? Cindy Groene From: Cher [mailto:bluelist"at"localnet.com] Cindy, Reptilefood is probably only offering next-day service because of the unseasonable temps in many parts of the country. Once the weather normalizes, you'll likely see the 2nd day option again. It was there about a week ago, I'm sure it will be back. They have to be careful when the weather is extremely hot or cold - not only in the destination cities, but also in anywhere along the route. They wouldn't be able to give a live guarantee otherwise. Some of the sites won't even TELL you what the shipping charges will be until after you've placed your order and input your CC#! Then they e-mail you with the total. Cher ~ Finger Lakes region, NY State From: Dottie [mailto:yumyumkatts"at"voyager.net] I just ordered from Sunshine. I expect my worms tomorrow. Yep, Rainbow is still in business but I thought they were a little higher www.sunshinemealworms.com Good luck! From: denisefarmer"at"comcast.net [mailto:denisefarmer"at"comcast.net] Cindy, I used The Worm Man last year to set up my meal worm colony. I liked him and have recommended him to others. Good luck Denise Farmer From: Evelyn Cooper [mailto:emcooper "at"bayou.com]
Sent: Tuesday, May 22, 2007 11:01 AM Subject: Ordering Mealworms Please give me some good places to recommend to buy mealworms. I don’t use them and need to know for a friend. Thanks, Evelyn From: Shari Kastner [mailto:smk "at"teamv.com]
Sent: Tuesday, May 22, 2007 11:13 AM Subject: RE: Ordering Mealworms I've bought them from both Sunshine and Rainbow. They are both good. Now I'm trying to raise them myself and I've gotten to the beetle stage so far. Pretty soon I'll have a bunch more mealworms for feeding.
Sunshine Mealworms
1-800-322-1100
15% discount if you are a NABS member
Rainbow Mealworms & Crickets
1-800-777-9676
I have also bought them from the local Wild Birds Unlimited, but they are expensive there. I'd recommend online ordering.
Shari Kastner
New Berlin, WI From: Tena [mailto:ccbluebirder "at"tds.net] Another source is Nature's Way Tena Taylor -----Original Message----- I've been most pleased with Grubco. From: Steve and Cindy Groene [mailto:hausgroene "at"comcast.net] I'll second Grubco. They have great prices. Shipping very reasonable, especially if you are in the Midwest. I used reptile foods last year and really liked them but I got the same 5000 large mealworms this yr for $20 less including shipping from Grubco. Glad someone else on this list steered me to them. Cindy Groene -----Original Message----- I'll chime in for Grubco. Right now I think they have the best price/product. I was using Reptile Food and really like them, but they are charging an arm and a leg for 2 day expedited delivery due to the fluctuating weather. Donna in Marlborough, CT |
