RecoveryColonies
Mealworms / superworms care guide
Tenebrio molitor / Zophobas morio
A smooth-sided, well ventilated bin with vertical egg-crate stacks and a dry diet — moisture comes from produce, not from a wet substrate.
Terrestrial — floor space first
Mealworms / superworms enclosure size
Terrestrial — floor space first. An adult mealworms / superworms should live in at least 16" L × 11" W × 8" H; we build toward 24" L × 16" W × 12" H (2 × 1.3 × 1 ft, roughly 2.7 sq ft of floor and about a 20-gallon glass equivalent).
A 6–16 qt bin per producing colony; keep a backup bin so one crash never ends the line.
- Starter culture
- 8" L × 6" W × 5" H recommended · min 6" L × 4" W × 4" H
- Establishing
- 14" L × 10" W × 8" H recommended · min 12" L × 8" W × 6" H
- Producing
- 24" L × 16" W × 12" H recommended · min 16" L × 11" W × 8" H
Temperature and heating
Heat the room, not the enclosure. If the room drops below 68 °F use a thermostatted space heater or a heat mat on the outside of a side wall (never under the substrate) — heat mats under a burrow cook the animal.
- Basking / warm surface
- None — no basking site, no heat lamp
- Warm side (ambient)
- 72–80 °F ambient room temperature
- Cool side (ambient)
- 70–75 °F ambient room temperature
- Night
- Room temperature; a 5–8 °F night drop is fine
Lighting and UVB
UVB: None — invertebrates need no UVB and bright light stresses them. Run lights on a Ambient room light on a normal day/night cycle; keep the enclosure out of direct sun photoperiod, on a timer, and replace UVB bulbs on the manufacturer's schedule even while they still emit visible light.
Humidity
Target 40–55% ambient. Keep the substrate bone dry and offer a full water dish; overflow it only if the species tolerates a damp corner.
Substrate and depth
Bare bottom or a thin bran/oat layer with egg-crate stacks. Depth: 0.5–1 in.
- Ventilation: Two large mesh vents; dry and airy or the colony molds.
Enclosure tips and furnishing
- Vertical egg-crate or cardboard stacks for surface area
- Dry feed dish (grain-based chow) plus fresh produce for water
- Smooth or petroleum-jelly rim so nothing walks out
Build list
- Ventilated plastic bin with a mesh-panel lid — Ventilation prevents the mite and mold blooms that crash colonies.
- Hardwood leaf litter or grain-based feeder chow — Colony output is a direct function of diet quality — this is what your animals eat next.
- Digital thermometer / hygrometer — Inverts are kept at room temperature — you need to know what the room actually does, not guess.
- Long feeding tongs and a catch cup — Every interaction — feeding, water top-ups, rehousing — should happen without your hand near the animal.
Mealworms / superworms FAQ
How big should an adult Mealworms / superworms enclosure be?
At least 16" L × 11" W × 8" H, and we recommend building to 24" L × 16" W × 12" H — about 2 × 1.3 × 1 ft, or a 20-gallon glass equivalent. Terrestrial — floor space first.
What temperatures does a Mealworms / superworms need?
Basking or warm surface None — no basking site, no heat lamp, warm side 72–80 °F ambient room temperature, cool side 70–75 °F ambient room temperature, night Room temperature; a 5–8 °F night drop is fine. Heat the room, not the enclosure. If the room drops below 68 °F use a thermostatted space heater or a heat mat on the outside of a side wall (never under the substrate) — heat mats under a burrow cook the animal.
Does a Mealworms / superworms need UVB?
None — invertebrates need no UVB and bright light stresses them. Photoperiod: Ambient room light on a normal day/night cycle; keep the enclosure out of direct sun.
What humidity does a Mealworms / superworms need?
40–55% ambient. Keep the substrate bone dry and offer a full water dish; overflow it only if the species tolerates a damp corner.
What substrate is best for a Mealworms / superworms?
Bare bottom or a thin bran/oat layer with egg-crate stacks, at a depth of 0.5–1 in.
How big does a Mealworms / superworms enclosure need to be for a hatchling?
Starter culture: 8" L × 6" W × 5" H recommended, minimum 6" L × 4" W × 4" H. Scale up to the adult footprint as the animal grows.
How much ventilation does a Mealworms / superworms enclosure need?
Two large mesh vents; dry and airy or the colony molds.
Sources
Put this guide to work
Apply these targets to your own mealworms / superworms record, then log feedings, sheds and weights against them.