BS: Meal Worm Bird Feeding Question???

Subject: BS: Meal Worm Bird Feeding Question???
From: Bobert
Date: 18 Mar 07 - 05:10 PM

Okay, I've fed birds alot of stuff and usually can figure it out but the P-Vine read that Blue Birds love meal worms so she has bought a little container of them but...

...we ain't got a clue how to put them out for the Blue Birds... I mean, therer ain't no Blue Bird meal worm feeders an' if you just atick the little critters out on block of wood on top of a fence post them critters is gonna escape, ain't they???

Help!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Meal Worm Bird Feeding Question???
From: Rapparee
Date: 18 Mar 07 - 05:15 PM

Nail a board with a 1 inch edging around it (so the worms can't escape) on top of the fence post (helps if the post is wood). Put the mealies on the board. Make the thing about 12 x 12 inches. Of course, other birds besides bluebirds may come visiting....

Subject: RE: BS: Meal Worm Bird Feeding Question???
From: Peace
Date: 18 Mar 07 - 05:19 PM

I don't think that worms eat birds, Bobert.

Subject: RE: BS: Meal Worm Bird Feeding Question???
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Mar 07 - 05:23 PM

Why are you feeding meal worms to wild birds? If you have a captive or injured bird, they're excellent, but if a wild bird is out there anyway, let them eat the normal worms that come their way.

It adds up, buying meal worms, so you should get a plastic bucket with a tight lid, put a few air holes in, fill the tub with oatmeal and dump your meal worms in. Keep it in a dark, dry, room-temperature place. Every so often take a thin slice of potato and drop it in on top of the oatmeal. Open it periodically and scoop out some worms. Ignore the beetles, they're the ones making new worms.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Meal Worm Bird Feeding Question???
From: Phillip
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 12:08 PM

Bill Oddie (well known British birder) rates meal worms for wild birds. To stop the meal worms escaping buy dead ones.

Subject: RE: BS: Meal Worm Bird Feeding Question???
From: Jean(eanjay)
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 12:19 PM

Just don't let Bear Grylls see them, either alive or dead!

Subject: RE: BS: Meal Worm Bird Feeding Question???
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 04:51 PM

When you say 'fill your bucket with oatmeal' - are we talking plain, uncooked porrige oats or actual porrige?

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Meal Worm Bird Feeding Question???
From: Jean(eanjay)
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 05:00 PM

Uncooked not actual.

Subject: RE: BS: Meal Worm Bird Feeding Question???
From: Joybell
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 06:07 PM

I have a bin of meal worms on the go all year round. I use a bucket of bran. Thanks for the tip about the potato, SRS -- we use banana peel here but potato is cheaper.
Bobert -- you could put them out in a small heap of bran -- onto the board Rapaire suggested.
Cheers, Joy

Subject: RE: BS: Meal Worm Bird Feeding Question???
From: Rapparee
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 06:28 PM

Thinking it over, use TWO boards and bolt them to the post. That way you can remove one to clean and disinfect it. Otherwise you can feed them little rascals and watch 'em fall over dead from food poisoning and worse.

Please folks, if you feed birds using feeders -- clean and disinfect the feeders every so often.

Subject: RE: BS: Meal Worm Bird Feeding Question???
From: Scrump
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 10:53 AM

This wild bird feeding lark seems to be big business these days, at least in the UK. Many garden centres and pet supplies stores now sell a huge range of foods aimed at wild birds, by the sackful. We have a few bird feeders that we put out in the winter and it's fun to watch the birds make use of them.

But we have always believed it's best to let birds feed themselves most of the year when wild food is usually (or should be) freely available, and onloy feed them in winter when they have difficulty finding food themselves. I believe if we keep feeding them all year round, amusing as it is for us, we might be doing them more harm than good, as they will come to depend on us feeding them, and in effect become lazy or lose the ability to catch their own food.

Should I be concerned about this or not? Any views? (Sorry if this is getting off the topic of mealworms).

Subject: RE: BS: Meal Worm Bird Feeding Question???
From: Grimmy
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 11:23 AM

Every night, before going to bed, I scatter a load of mealies onto the lawn. What the hedgehogs don't eat that night is finished off by the birds in the morning. Everyone's a winner!

Subject: RE: BS: Meal Worm Bird Feeding Question???
From: Scrump
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 11:35 AM

Every night, before going to bed, I scatter a load of mealies onto the lawn. What the hedgehogs don't eat that night is finished off by the birds in the morning. Everyone's a winner!

Except possibly the mealworms.

Subject: RE: BS: Meal Worm Bird Feeding Question???
From: open mike
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 11:43 AM

you have hedge hogs? where do you live?

i w2onder if there is any disadvantage
of introducing the beetles to an area
if the worms do get away and grow up
into their adult form, what do the
beetles do to the environment?

Subject: RE: BS: Meal Worm Bird Feeding Question???
From: MMario
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 11:49 AM

meal worms have probably already been introduced into any area where milled flour is available.

Subject: RE: BS: Meal Worm Bird Feeding Question???
From: pdq
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 11:51 AM

To prevent the mealworns from walking off the bird feeder, you might try freezing them overnight.

Put a dozen or so in each small freezer bag, then thaw for a few hours before placing on feeder.

I suspect, however, that the first robin will eat every one of the mealworms and still squawk loudly at any other bird that looks like a competitor.

Subject: RE: BS: Meal Worm Bird Feeding Question???
From: Scrump
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 11:57 AM

You could run the mealworms through the blender and make them easier for the birds to eat - no catching, no chewing necessary.

Subject: RE: BS: Meal Worm Bird Feeding Question???
From: Grimmy
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 11:58 AM

Scrump, the mealies have already ceased to be - I just dispose of the bodies ;-)

you have hedge hogs? where do you live?

Preston, UK (up north). I have a young male, a larger female (mother to the former, I think), and a whopping great alpha male who, when not trying to mate with the female, vents his frustration on junior. They come every night and it's party time if they all appear at once.

Junior didn't start hibernating until January - that is VERY late.

Subject: RE: BS: Meal Worm Bird Feeding Question???
From: Rapparee
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 12:11 PM

Yum! Mealworm smoothies!

Subject: RE: BS: Meal Worm Bird Feeding Question???
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 12:51 PM

Yes, to the question above, raw dry oatmeal. I use regular oats, not the "minute oats" processed cereal, because it's probably better for meal worms (just like it's better for us).

Subject: RE: BS: Meal Worm Bird Feeding Question???
From: Scrump
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 05:23 PM

Why not just feed the birds porridge (oatmeal) and cut out the middle man (or worm)?

Subject: RE: BS: Meal Worm Bird Feeding Question???
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 05:25 PM

Wonder if my tits would appreciate a wiggly worm one day?

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Meal Worm Bird Feeding Question???
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 07:54 PM

Meal Worms - maggots

Almost the same thing.

Every trash day - there are maggots crawling out of the trash bin. I save the meat for two days before pickup. Maggots bred fast. The birds, (half a hundred?) scatter and sing below the dumpster. They hang around long after the trash is gone.

As a child I got maggots to bred in milk bottles with nothing more than handful of frozen peas for food.

Stop paying the price - breed maggots - they are free and plentiful

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Perhaps, let your meal worms cacoon and hatch and see what comes out of it....they may be maggots in disguise.

Subject: RE: BS: Meal Worm Bird Feeding Question???
From: Phillip
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 02:41 AM

You could try fat balls for the tits, of course.

There are few sights better than a pair of tits on your fat balls.

Subject: RE: BS: Meal Worm Bird Feeding Question???
From: Rapparee
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 07:54 AM

Maggots make good bass bait. And being 90% protein they're healthy, mostly fat-free, eating. Deep-fried they're sort of crunchy. AND they will clean out an infected wound better than a surgeon.

Maggots are your friends. Unfortunately, they turn into flies and flies are not your friend.

Subject: RE: BS: Meal Worm Bird Feeding Question???
From: Scrump
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 10:16 AM

I'm not sure whether tits eat worms, do they? Blackbirds and robins certainly do, though.

Subject: RE: BS: Meal Worm Bird Feeding Question???
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 12:09 PM

Last time I gave my tits a fat ball, the pussy got the squitters... look up a thread entitled 'pussy, tits and fat balls'.

I've got them a nice big nut pecker now.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Meal Worm Bird Feeding Question???
From: Scrump
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 12:35 PM

The fatballs are popular not only with the tits, but starlings too.

Subject: RE: BS: Meal Worm Bird Feeding Question???
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 03:33 PM

Groan. . .

Subject: RE: BS: Meal Worm Bird Feeding Question???
From: GUEST,Aurther
Date: 25 Mar 07 - 11:44 AM

i like to eat meal worms for breakfast and maggets for lunch and for supper FLIES they a crunchy on the outside and slimey on the inside!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE TASTEY BUGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Meal Worm Bird Feeding Question???
From: tarheel
Date: 25 Mar 07 - 11:51 AM

wow....sooooooooooo grossssssssssss!

Subject: RE: BS: Meal Worm Bird Feeding Question???
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Mar 07 - 12:31 PM

Aurthur is a typing toad, Tarheel. You can relax.

Subject: RE: BS: Meal Worm Bird Feeding Question???
From: Rapparee
Date: 25 Mar 07 - 02:45 PM

But...maggots are your friends!! Edible, good fish bait, and they will eat away all your infected flesh. How could anyone not love a maggot?

Subject: RE: BS: Meal Worm Bird Feeding Question???
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 26 Mar 07 - 09:02 AM

Want really gross? We have a mould to make chocolate bugs. Make the giant maggots with white chocolate and you can gross out an entire class of 9yr olds!

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Meal Worm Bird Feeding Question???
From: Rapparee
Date: 26 Mar 07 - 09:15 AM

Liz, make a nice chocolate cake. But bake gummy worms inside. Frost it with a nice green frosting -- over gummy worms. Sprinkle green-dyed shredded coconut over all to simulate grass. Make sure some of the gummy worms show.

Anyone over the age of reason (whenever that is) thinks it's disgusting.

Subject: RE: BS: Meal Worm Bird Feeding Question???
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 26 Mar 07 - 05:19 PM

You want disgusting? Make egg mayonnaise. Add a couple of drops of black food colouring. Dip a cocktail stick in red food colouring and draw through the egg mayo. Put egg mayo in a sandwich. Voila, brain sandwiches. Not even the 9yr olds would eat it!

LTS