Best Bedding for Mealworms (Top 5 Options Tested + Complete Guide)
Bedding is the most important part of mealworm farming. It acts as food, habitat, and a growth medium for your mealworms. The quality of your bedding directly affects your production, growth rate, and colony health. Bedding choice affects feeding efficiency described in Mealworm Feeding Guide.
This complete guide explains the top 5 best bedding options for mealworms, how to use them, how much to add, how often to change bedding, and which bedding is ideal for Pakistan’s climate.
Let’s get started.
⭐ 1. What Is Mealworm Bedding?
Mealworm bedding is the dry material that mealworms live inside and feed on. It must be:
- Dry
- Fresh
- Mold-free
- Fine-textured
- Nutrient-rich
Good bedding keeps mealworms healthy, increases growth speed, and supports the entire mealworm lifecycle.
⭐ 2. What Makes Good Mealworm Bedding?
Good bedding has these qualities:
2.1 High Nutrition
Protein and fiber support fast growth.
2.2 Dry Texture
Mealworms hate moisture inside bedding.
2.3 Easy to Sift
Fine bedding makes separation easy.
2.4 Affordable and Available
Since bedding is replaced often, it must be cheap.
2.5 Mold Resistant
Moisture-resistant bedding prevents fungus.
⭐ 3. Top 5 Best Bedding Options for Mealworms (Ranked)
After testing multiple bedding types, these five are the best for Pakistan.
⭐ 3.1 Wheat Bran (Best Overall Bedding)
Wheat bran is the most commonly used bedding for mealworms worldwide.
Why It’s the Best
- Cheap and easily available
- Mealworms grow faster on it
- Soft texture
- Easy to sift
- High in fiber
- Low moisture
- Safe for all stages
Price in Pakistan:
PKR 60–90 per kg
How Much to Use:
Fill trays with 5–8 cm bedding.
When to Replace:
Every 3–4 weeks.
Perfect For:
Beginners, home setups, commercial farms.
⭐ 3.2 Oat Bran (Second Best Option)
Oat bran is slightly more expensive but excellent for mealworms.
Benefits
- Soft texture
- Low moisture
- Good nutrients
- Mealworms love it
- Helps larvae reach full size quicker
Price in Pakistan:
PKR 120–170 per kg
Best Use:
Mix with wheat bran for better nutrition.
Entrepreneurs interested in insect protein should explore how to start a mealworm business in Pakistan for long-term income.
⭐ 3.3 Crushed Oats / Rolled Oats
A very popular choice for small farms.
Benefits
- Good nutrition
- Less dust
- Clean and mold-resistant
Drawback
More expensive than wheat bran.
Price:
PKR 160–220 per kg
⭐ 3.4 Poultry Grower Feed Mix (Supplemental Bedding)
This is not pure bedding but can be mixed with bran.
Benefits
- High protein
- Increases growth speed
- Good for breeding cycles
Recommended Mix Ratio: - 70% wheat bran
- 30% grower feed
This creates a powerful growth formula.
Warning:
Do not use grower feed alone as bedding.
⭐ 3.5 Cornmeal (Optional Add-On)
Cornmeal is a fine powder made from maize.
Benefits
- Very fine texture
- Good moisture absorption
- Larvae love the taste
Drawback - Can clump if moisture used improperly
- More expensive
Use it as a top layer or in small percentage.
⭐ 4. Bedding Comparison Table
Bedding Type Growth Speed Cost Availability Sifting Best Use
Wheat Bran Excellent Low High Easy All setups
Oat Bran Excellent Medium Medium Easy Small & commercial farms
Crushed Oats Very Good Medium High Good Hatcheries
Grower Feed Mix Fast Medium High Medium Mixed bedding
Cornmeal Good Medium–High Medium Hard Supplemental
⭐ 5. How Much Bedding Should You Use?
The bedding depth should be:
4–8 cm deep
(depending on tray size)
Shallow bedding = slow growth
Too deep bedding = poor ventilation
⭐ 6. How Often Should You Replace Bedding?
Replace bedding every:
3–4 weeks for larvae
Every 10–14 days for beetles
Every 6–8 days if moisture slices are used heavily
Signs bedding needs replacing:
- Bad smell
- Mold spots
- Too much worm dust
- Hard clumps
- High moisture
- Small worms not growing
⭐ 7. Feeding Moisture Properly (Critical for Bedding)
Mealworms need moisture, but bedding must stay dry.
Best moisture foods:
- Carrots
- Potatoes
- Apples
- Cucumbers (small amount)
How to place moisture: - Put slices on top of bedding
- Never bury them
- Remove after 24–48 hours
- Keep moisture away from tray edges
⭐ 8. Bedding for Different Mealworm Stages
Each stage needs specific bedding.
⭐ 8.1 Bedding for Beetles
Use fine wheat bran only.
Why?
- Beetles prefer to lay eggs in soft bedding
- Eggs stay safe and hidden
- Easy to sift beetles later
Replace every 10–14 days.
⭐ 8.2 Bedding for Larvae
Use deep bedding (6–8 cm):
- Wheat bran
- Oat bran mix
- Optional grower feed (30% mix)
This increases growth speed.
⭐ 8.3 Bedding for Pupae
No bedding needed
Keep pupae dry on:
- Egg trays
- Tissues
- Plastic tray surface
Pupae die quickly if buried under bedding.
⭐ 9. How to Make a Perfect Bedding Mix (Pro Formula)
This mix gives the best growth, best nutrition, and best health.
70% Wheat Bran
20% Oat Bran
10% Poultry Grower Feed
Optional:
Add 5% cornmeal for softness.
This mix keeps:
- Larvae healthy
- Growth consistent
- Bedding airy
- Moisture low
Perfect for small and commercial setups.
⭐ 10. Mistakes to Avoid When Using Bedding
10.1 Using Wet Bedding
Kills larvae quickly.
10.2 Adding Too Much Moisture Food
Causes mold.
10.3 Not Replacing Bedding in Time
Slows growth and causes smell.
10.4 Using Flour or Fine Powder
Clogs breathing holes of larvae.
10.5 Mixing too many feed types
Creates uneven growth.
10.6 Using Cornmeal as Main Bedding
Risky and expensive.
⭐ 11. How to Store Bedding Properly
Store bedding in:
- Airtight containers
- Plastic tubs
- Dry shelves
- Away from sunlight
- Away from insects
- Away from humidity
If bedding smells strange, throw it out.
⭐ 12. Bedding Cost Breakdown (Pakistan Market)
- Wheat bran = PKR 60–90/kg
- Oat bran = PKR 120–170/kg
- Crushed oats = PKR 160–220/kg
- Grower feed = PKR 100–150/kg
- Cornmeal = PKR 200–250/kg
Bedding cost per month (small farm):
PKR 300 – 800
⭐ 13. Internal Linking Suggestions
Link this article to:
- “Mealworm Feeding Guide”
- “Best Containers & Trays for Mealworm Farming”
- “How to Grow Mealworms Faster”
- “Mealworm Lifecycle Explained”
- “How to Separate Larvae, Pupae & Beetles”
⭐ 14. Final Conclusion
Bedding is the foundation of your mealworm farming success. The best bedding options—wheat bran, oat bran, crushed oats, grower feed, and cornmeal—help mealworms grow faster, stay healthy, and reproduce consistently. With the right mixture, proper moisture management, and regular cleaning, you can maintain a strong colony and increase your production significantly. For container selection, read Best Containers and Trays for Mealworm Farming.
For Pakistan’s climate and affordability, wheat bran remains the best and most reliable bedding choice. Combine it with oat bran and grower feed for optimum results and long-term sustainability.