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Mealworm vs Superworm

Mealworm vs Superworm

May 15th 2017

Zophobas morio aka Superworm

Live Superworms, Buy Bulk Super Worms

Tenebrio molitor aka Mealworm

Mealworms - Fluker Farms Live

Protein Levels

17.4% 20.27%

Calcium Ratios

10.8% 3.2%

Fat Ratios

16% 13%

Fiber Ratios

6.8% 1.73%

Not able to be refrigerated

Can bite and sting your pet

Has more chitin

Can be refrigerated

Harmless to your pet

Has more meat


superworm is around 5x larger than a mealworm when you take into account girth and length. Most of the size difference comes from a superworm having more chitin, their shell, than mealworms do. This gives them less meat, but a higher concentration of calcium, fiber, and fat. Another difference is the lack of ability to refrigerate superworms to keep them in a sort of hibernation until your pet needs them to eat. Superworms also have a stronger jaw for biting, and a head spike they can use to ward off predators which can give your pet a nasty surprise. Most reptiles can learn quickly to take them by the head to avoid getting stung, or, before you put the superworms in their enclosure, you can use tweezers to give the worm a little squeeze on the head to knock them out.

All in all, a  mealworm will give about the same sustenance a superworm will give, with little difference. However, if your reptile is a little older and wiser, superworms can give a bit more benefit without worrying about getting bit or stung by the superworm.

Giant mealworms are a regular mealworm tenebrio molitor that has been treated with a hormone to delay pupation which allows them to grow to a larger size. Because Giants are regular mealworms this also allows them to be stored in the refrigerator and treated in the same way as large mealworms. They will sometimes pupate into beetles but due to being treated with the growth inhibitor hormone they are sterile. Giants grow significantly plumper and slightly longer than regular mealworms making them a great choice for larger reptiles and as a bait option for pan fish.