Forum home Wildlife gardening
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Mealworms

2

Posts

  • debs64debs64 Posts: 5,184
    I have a “pole” bird feeder is there a way to feed mealworms with those? I always assumed they were just for bird tables? 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I put them on the ground, or on the ground feeder tray. You can put them in a little saucer or dish.
    I also put them on the ground among shrubs.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • pugslovesunpugslovesun Posts: 300
    I will listen out and I need to have a proper look through binoculars. They are pretty impressive, not that i don't like them just thinking of smaller birds and the noise very early for my neighbours who work shifts!!
  • pugslovesunpugslovesun Posts: 300
    Thats a good idea fairygirl although that might just encourage the noisy pheasant even more... 
    I have a cage round my ground feeder stops magpies but blackbirds etc can get in.
    Lots of rain in the pennines today to wet the mealworms. 

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I have cages for the small birds, so I put some in there. I find the ones that I 'hide' get taken by the birds that forage a bit more - the blackbirds and dunnocks etc.  :)

    The starlings are particularly fond, and would eat the entire contents of the bucket I keep them in if they could, so I put some out in the open and then everyone gets a fair shout  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • debs64debs64 Posts: 5,184
    Can’t do ground feeding as I have 2 cats, they almost never catch birds but I think encouraging birds to come to ground feeders would be very unwise. I will look out for a hanging feeder. 
  • josusa47josusa47 Posts: 3,530
    Mealworms on the ground: not a good idea if there are hedgehogs around.  They will eat them with relish, but they are quite harmful.  Better to have them on a bird table, or with a cage surrounding them.
  • debs64debs64 Posts: 5,184
    I have checked and hanging feeders are available so have ordered one. 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Only if hogs were out during the day @josusa47 - which they wouldn't normally be. I'd be concerned if I was seeing hogs out in the daytime.
    I only put a small amount out at a time, and they're snaffled up very quickly by the birds.
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • debs64debs64 Posts: 5,184
    To be fair if past experience is anything to go by the birds will just ignore the new feeder. I spent nearly £10 on a feeder that claims to stop bigger birds eating the fat balls as I have a family of long tailed tits who are often frightened away from the present cheap feeder by magpies. They are totally ignoring it! They have moved onto the sunflower hearts instead. Will have to give in and refill the cheap feeder. I don’t think birds read the reviews! 
Sign In or Register to comment.