Live Organic Mealworms

We feed our worms a high calcium diet found to drastically improve the nutrition profile of mealworms for most common reptile species (see this study for details!).  This means these mealworms compare much more favorably to the popular healthier Dubia roaches!

Our mealworms are never sprayed with hormones or chemicals, and are fed a diet of wheat bran and locally sourced produce.

• We guarantee our mealworms will arrive happy and healthy.
• Please ensure you are keeping track of your order arrival time.
• Please retrieve the package from your mailbox or porch ASAP if the weather is too hot or too cold.
• Our mealworms are shipped live, so they will easily bake in the hot sun or freeze in winter temps inside your mailbox if left for too long.

If you are ever disappointed with your order, let us know and we will work with you to make it right!

Need a smaller or larger quantity of mealworms? Email us at support@hivequeeninsects.com to discuss!

Shipping Tips:

• Please check your weather conditions prior to ordering to make sure inclement weather delays and extreme temperatures are avoided!
• We ship with USPS in the summer and UPS in the winter. If you live in Florida or on the West Coast, we will use USPS year round (unless you purchase UPS 2nd Day Air or Next Day Air).
• In the summertime, we HIGHLY recommend doing Hold for Pickup at your nearest Post Office. Hold for Pickup means the Post Office will hold your order until you pick it up. Under normal circumstances, the Post Office will call you to let you know it is ready for you to pick up. This option requires no extra steps from you other than your permission and your phone number. Watch your tracking carefully in case the Post Office doesn't call you - sometimes they forget!
• Please understand that when your order leaves our facility and is taken in by the Postal Service or UPS, we no longer have control over its fate. Delays and shipping issues are very common these days, and there is not much we can do to move the package forward when that happens. We do have contacts at USPS, but they can really only give us insight as to where it might be. They cannot predict when it will arrive!
• We've found that most order death occurs in the last leg of the trip, from your local Post Office or UPS hub to your door. This is why Hold for Pickup is so important for hotter or colder temperatures (80+ degrees, or 45 degrees or less).
• Most farms require Hold for Pickup no matter what, or they won't honor a live guarantee. We try to be a bit more flexible than that, but if we see your weather is too hot or cold, please take our recommendation to Hold for Pickup! We promise it's for the best!
• We will do our best to reship orders that arrive dead, please let us know ASAP when this happens. While we don't love to see photos of dead bugs, we may ask for one so we can make adjustments on how we packaged them if needed.
• Ice packs: After 24 hours, ice packs lower survivability on very hot days because it turns into a heat sink once it is melted. The melting also gives off too much moisture, virtually guaranteeing death. We do not recommend using ice packs.
• Heat packs: Heat packs in the winter can be a great way to help survivability in relative cold temperatures. Heat packs do begin to fail at freezing temperatures, however, so the faster it moves in shipping, the better! We recommend adding a heat pack to your order if you are buying small quantities.
• Mealworms in 5k or more quantities can keep themselves just warm enough down to above freezing temperatures (no lower than 34 degrees).

Why buy our bugs?  We think these are some pretty good reasons:

We're local, and we're woman-owned: We are a small, local company, dedicated to serving our community. Our mealworms are raised with care right here in Batavia, Ohio. By choosing to buy your mealworms locally, you're not only supporting small businesses but also reducing the carbon footprint associated with long-distance shipping.

Hormone-Free, Cruelty-Free, and Naturally Fed: Our mealworms are a product of nature, free from artificial interventions. We prioritize the well-being of your pets by ensuring they are never exposed to hormones or unnatural additives/chemicals. They thrive on a diet that mirrors their natural habitat, which results in a more nutritious and balanced feed for your pets.  We also take care to ensure no potentially harmful to reptile fruits or veggies are fed to our bugs.

Wholesome Nutrition: With our locally raised, hormone-free mealworms, you're providing your pets with a natural and nutrient-rich source of food. These mealworms are packed with essential proteins, vitamins, and minerals, promoting the health, energy, and overall vitality of your furry, scaled, prickled, or feathered friends. 

• When you receive your worms, they will be thirsty and hungry from their trip. Be sure to provide them with a piece of fruit or veggie that is safe for your pet so they can rehydrate and regain the nutrients they lost in shipping.
• If you are purchasing a larger quantity, such as 3k or more, we recommend using a plastic container to store them in longer-term. Mealworms cannot climb smooth plastic, so you don't even really need a lid - in fact, we do not recommend lidding them unless absolutely necessary, especially if you plan to store them in the fridge. A lid will trap moisture and can cause issues over time.
• If you plan to store them longer term, they will need a source of dry food as well - we recommend wheat bran, or rolled oats if no wheat bran is available to you. These grains provide food as well as a substrate, keeping them dry and happy.
• Let us know if you have any questions about caring for your worms!