If you raise chickens, reptiles, or insect-eating pets, you have probably asked this question: Are mealworms or black soldier fly larvae better?

Both insects are widely used as high-protein animal treats, but they differ dramatically in nutrition, calcium content, digestion, and sustainability.

In this guide, we break down the science behind mealworms vs black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) so you can choose the best option for your animals.

Quick Answer: Mealworms vs BSFL

If you want the short version:

Feature	Black Soldier Fly Larvae (BSFL)	Mealworms
Protein	~40%	~45%
Fat	~25%	~30%
Calcium	Extremely high	Very low
Ca:P Ratio	~2.6:1 (ideal)	~1:16 (poor)
Digestibility	Easy to digest	Harder shell
Immune Support	Lauric acid antimicrobial	Minimal
Sustainability	Recycles food waste	Grain-fed

Bottom line:
Mealworms are a tasty treat, but black soldier fly larvae are nutritionally superior for most animals, especially chickens and reptiles.

What Are Black Soldier Fly Larvae

Black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens) are nutrient-dense insects raised as sustainable animal feed.

They have become one of the fastest growing protein sources in the global feed industry because they provide:

• high protein
• healthy fats
• naturally high calcium
• gut health benefits
• sustainable production

Brands like Supreme Grubs produce premium BSFL treats designed for backyard poultry and reptiles.

Unlike traditional feeder insects, BSFL are naturally rich in minerals and do not require calcium dusting.

What Are Mealworms?

Mealworms are the larval stage of the beetle Tenebrio molitor.

They are one of the most common feeder insects because they are:

• easy to farm
• high in fat
• widely available
• highly palatable for animals

However, despite their popularity, mealworms have several nutritional limitations, especially when used as a primary insect feed.

Nutrition Comparison: Mealworms vs BSFL

Both insects are rich in protein, but their nutritional profiles differ significantly.

Protein Content

Nutrient	BSFL	Mealworms
Crude Protein	~40%	~45–50%
Fat	~25%	~30%
Energy	High	Very high

Mealworms have slightly more protein, but BSFL provide a more balanced nutrient profile for most animals.

Calcium Content: The Biggest Difference

The most important nutritional difference is calcium.

Calcium to Phosphorus Ratio

Insect	Ca:P Ratio
BSFL	~2.6:1
Mealworms	~1:16

Animals like chickens, geckos, and bearded dragons require calcium for:

• bone development
• egg production
• muscle function
• nervous system health

Mealworms contain very little calcium, which means they often require calcium dusting or supplementation.

Black soldier fly larvae naturally contain 80–100x more calcium, making them one of the best feeder insects available.

For laying hens, this directly supports:

• stronger eggshells
• improved egg production
• healthier skeletal structure
  
  

Fat Profile and Immune Benefits

BSFL contain a unique fatty acid called lauric acid.

Why Lauric Acid Matters

Lauric acid is known for its antimicrobial properties.

Research shows it can help inhibit harmful bacteria such as:

• Clostridium
• Staphylococcus
• Salmonella

This supports:

• gut health
• immune function
• healthier digestion

Mealworms, on the other hand, are higher in omega-6 fats, which provide energy but offer fewer functional health benefits.

Digestibility: Which Is Easier for Animals?

Another important difference is the exoskeleton hardness.

Feature	BSFL	Mealworms
Shell hardness	Soft	Hard
Chitin	Moderate	Higher
Digestibility	Easier	Harder

Mealworms have a more rigid exoskeleton, which can be difficult for some animals to digest.

This is especially important for:

• juvenile reptiles
• small birds
• recovering wildlife

BSFL tend to be softer and easier to digest, making them safer as a regular treat.

Why BSFL Are Better for Chickens

For backyard flocks, BSFL offer several advantages.

Benefits for Chickens

Black soldier fly larvae help support:

• stronger eggshells
• improved feather health
• natural protein supplementation
• enrichment and natural foraging behaviour

Because they are rich in calcium, they are especially valuable for:

• laying hens
• older chickens
• birds recovering from stress or moulting

Many chicken keepers report that their flocks become extremely enthusiastic about BSFL treats, making them a great training and enrichment tool.

BSFL vs Mealworms for Reptiles

Reptile keepers often prefer BSFL for a simple reason: mineral balance.

Mealworms have been linked to metabolic bone disease (MBD) when used as a staple feeder insect.

BSFL help prevent this because they provide:

• naturally high calcium
• softer bodies
• improved digestibility

They are commonly recommended for:

• bearded dragons
• leopard geckos
• chameleons
• insectivorous lizards
  
  

Environmental Sustainability

Insect farming is rapidly expanding because it is far more sustainable than traditional feed sources.

Environmental Benefits of BSFL

Black soldier fly larvae can:

• convert food waste into protein
• reduce landfill methane
• require minimal land and water
• produce valuable organic fertiliser (frass)

In fact, BSFL can consume up to twice their body weight in organic waste per day.

This makes them one of the most powerful tools for building a circular agricultural economy.

When Mealworms Still Make Sense

Mealworms are not useless.

They still work well as:

• occasional treats
• high-energy snacks
• winter feeding supplements

Because they are high in fat, they can provide quick calories during cold months.

However, they should not be the primary insect feed for animals that require balanced minerals.

Final Verdict: BSFL vs Mealworms

Both insects have value, but for most animals black soldier fly larvae provide the superior nutritional profile.

Choose BSFL if you want:

• higher calcium
• better mineral balance
• immune-supporting fats
• easier digestion
• sustainable protein

Choose mealworms if you want:

• high-fat energy treats
• occasional enrichment snacks

For chickens, reptiles, and many insect-eating pets, BSFL are often the healthier long-term choice.

Try Premium BSFL for Your Flock

If you want to give your animals a more natural, nutrient-dense treat, consider switching to high-quality black soldier fly larvae.

Premium BSFL products like Supreme Grubs are carefully produced to provide:

• high protein
• natural calcium
• healthy fats
• safe, clean insect feed

Your chickens — and their eggshells — will thank you.

Why do so many people raise backyard chickens and not ducks, geese, turkey, quails or other poultry? This is the question many people considering backyard farming often ask. So if you are new to backyard farming, you are probably not sure why this is the case. However, if you've ever owned any other poultry besides chicken, you will know the difficulties of raising them. 

Keeping things simple, it's all a question of the return. A return on your money or a return on your time. If you look at this question from another angle, you could say it's about input vs. output. The input being time, money and effort (physical or mental) while the output being the eggs, meat or just pleasure you derive from raising poultry. Following this logic, chickens beat other poultry by far because they are relatively easy to raise and the amount of eggs you can get in return is exponentially higher than what you would get from most other poultry. Ducks and quails come second, while geese, turkey, pheasants, guineas, peafowl, pigeon and others give way less return. Let's look at the pros and cons of each in a bit more details:

1) Chickens

Absolute winner in terms of ease of raising, with phenomenal output - a hen that is properly taken care of can give up to 250 eggs per year. You can also keep chicken for their meat, although most of backyard chicken farming revolves around hens kept for eggs and an occasional rooster for the meat.

2) Ducks

Ducks are like the messier (especially poop wise) and noisier version of chickens. Under optimal conditions however ducks can give even more eggs than hens in a given year with the number of eggs being around 300-350.

3) Geese

Geese are like the messier and noisier version of ducks and are not known to be amazing egg layers with the number of eggs per year being up to 50.

4) Quail

Quails do not need a lot of space but are very hard to tame and might fly away if you are not careful. They do provide eggs on top of the meat however, up to 300 per year however they are very small in size, about a third of chicken's egg. We've seen people keeping quail in their own apartments since the cage they can be kept in is relatively small. However, things can get messy very easily and quails do poop a lot so do this at your own risk. It is much better if you have a garden shed for this purpose.

5) Other fowl - Turkey, pheasants, guineas, peafowl and pigeon. 

These are usually kept for their meat and of course the pleasure of raising a bird. Turkeys are not very intelligent creatures and you really need a lot of patience to take care of them. Peafowl will take some time to grow and will consume quite a bit of feed in the process of doing so. Guineas will get agitated at the slightest unexpected sound. 

Conclusion

Having read this, you may now be more aware of the pros and cons of raising poultry other than chickens. Our intent is not to dissuade you from raising other kinds of poultry, but rather to spread the awareness that other poultry may not be as easy to raise as chickens. We recommend everyone to start off with raising chickens first and then slowly add variety to their coop. The amount of variety you want really depends on you, your family and the time and effort that you want to put in. There's really no right or wrong way to go about doing this so whatever you choose, enjoy it!

Maybe you treat your backyard chickens as pets and you are not using them to produce and sell eggs, but it is still nice to have fresh eggs ready for you each morning. There are many reasons why your hens may not be laying eggs including age, environment, nutrition, and more. In this article, we will discuss how you can help support your hens in frequently laying quality eggs that will help you keep making your mouth-watering morning omelets.

Light

For humans, sunlight affects our mood, and we even plan our schedules around sunny and rainy days. Similarly, hens laying eggs is linked to daylight and as the days get shorter in the winter so does the daylight. You can use a low-watt light bulb in the coop to give your bird more light to prolong their egg-laying throughout the day.

Water

Water is the single most important nutrient your chicken needs for quality egg production. Chickens are very particular about water and will not eat their food if they do not have something to drink. If you do not have fresh, clean water for your hen every day then this will decrease their egg production, and they will not eat as much which could lead to them getting sick.

Nutrients

Especially in the wintertime, a laying hen needs a lot of nutrition. They will exert more energy to keep themselves warm in the winter and less energy will go towards regularly laying eggs. By feeding your chicken nutrient-dense food, you will keep them happy and healthy and increase the chances of quality egg production.

Some of the important nutrients your hen needs:

• Calcium – calcium is vitally important in producing eggshells and hens need 4g of calcium a day, 2g of which go to the eggshell

• Protein – hens that are laying eggs need about 16-20% protein in their diet, egg production slows during molting season and protein helps with feather growth

• Omega-3 – hens that are fed omega-3 rich diets produce more enriched omega-3 eggs

• Magnesium – magnesium helps with calcium storage and bone development for strong and healthy chickens

A great source of nutrition for your hens is Supreme Grubs Black Soldier Fly Larvae. It is packed with micronutrients, calcium, phosphorus, and protein. Plus, it is environmentally friendly!

Illness

There are many diseases that could affect your birds and their laying ability. The common parasites that your bird could have are mites, fleas, and ticks. Make sure to check your birds frequently as some of these bugs can blend into your bird’s feathers. Feeding them nutrient-rich food (including the nutrients listed above) will keep your hens healthy and strong.

End of laying cycle

Chickens go through cycles of laying eggs that last about 10-12 months and they will typically lay an egg a day. If your hen is at the end of this cycle, then it is best to simply give her a break while she goes through a season of molting.

Roost

Hens naturally roost or perch at night to sleep. Roosts also keep your hens healthy because they will not constantly be on the ground of the coop where parasites and bacteria live. Chickens also need a separate safe place from their nesting box. Roosts make them feel more comfortable and will help with egg production.

Nesting box

Hens need a private and comfortable place to lay eggs with plenty of room. Make sure to line the nesting box with material that is easy to clean up like newspaper or straw. Clean it daily and collect the eggs regularly so that your hens will want to lay in it.

If you have a lot of backyard chickens that are currently laying eggs, then you may want 1-2 additional nesting boxes since they may want to be in it at the same time. More specifically, you will want to have one nesting box for every four hens. This will also encourage your hen to lay in the nesting box instead of from the roost, where the egg could crack when it falls.

If your hen has a habit of laying outside of her nesting box, then you can find some helpful tips here to help break this habit.

Conclusion

Overall, your backyard chickens are resilient and will adapt to their environment as long as they are cared for, clean, and well-fed, like any other pet. Sometimes hens just go through tougher seasons of egg-laying, even if you are doing everything you can to help them. Be patient and your hen should be back to her regularly scheduled laying soon.