# Superworms / Giant mealworms



## jrpr06 (Feb 18, 2006)

Can anyone tell me the difference between super worms and giant meal worms?

I was also wondering about handeling them? The lady at the pet store said the superworms don't bite but giant mealworms do? (She says it's more of a pinch) Has anyone here been biten? How bad does it hurt?

Any other precautions one should take when handeling them other than washing with a good anti-bacterial soap?

Thanks

john


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## mantid (Feb 18, 2006)

Superworms and giant mealworms are two different species, although they may look the same they are not the same insect.  What some stores call giant mealworms are just older mealworms that have reached a larger size.  Superworms are another type of beetle but they grow larger and can be used for feeding larger animals or insects.  As for handling them i don't know why you would want to...


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## Buspirone (Feb 18, 2006)

I'll just quote myself from another thread because I'm too lazy to type it out again. Its out of context but the information is still there.



> IMO, The major concern with superworms if you don't raise them yourself or aren't experienced or knowledgable enough to make a distinction is that your local pet store may be selling you a larva that isn't a superworm. Superworms are Zoophobas morio but normal mealworms and Giant Mealworms are Tenebrio molitor. You will see 3 common names used for larger sized larva in pet stores....Superworm, Kingworm and Giant Mealworm.The three common names are interchangable in many pet shops for any large sized larva although KingWorm is generally used mostly in bait shops I've seen all three names in use at various pet stores over the years in my area. The potential problem is that Giant Mealworms have been treated with a pesticide that is considered detrimental only to invertebrates. Since the majority of pet stores are selling these feeders for reptiles, fish, birds and small mammals they have no concerns over the fact that that these feeders are treated at all.
> 
> Giant MealWorms are Tenebrio molitor that have been treated with a chemical/hormone that is used primarily for pest control of flies. This treatment prevents the larva from maturing into a fly or beetle. It also inceases the number of times the larva will molt resulting in a larger than normal sized larva, hence the Giant Mealworm. These treated worms will die when they attempt to pupate and the small number that do manage to survive and turn into beetles are sterile. The last I heard no one has verified whether or not Giant Mealworms retain any trace levels of this pesticide during their truncated life cycle and if they do then does this trace amount, if it exists, pose any risk to the predatory invertebrates we maintain if they are fed these treated larva. Will it cause molting issues or will it effect the fertility of a potential breeder? You can see how this would be a concern for an invertebrate enthusiast. As a precaution I avoid feeding Giant Mealworms since I've never been able to get any definitive answers regarding the issue.
> 
> The most obvious difference between Superworms and Giant Mealworms is that Giant Mealworms will tolerate/survive being refridgerated while superworms will die.


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