I bought some dried meal worms for the blue birds. In the past I have used live meal worms and they loved them but they are pretty expensive. So far they have not even touched the dried worms. Has anyone had good luck with the dried ones?

They're very commonly sold in the UK. You could try soaking them first.

It is worth a try, thanks Sue.

Unfortunately, I have yet to see a bluebird, but I did photograph an Indigo Bunting!! Anyway, Aquarium shops sell all kinds of both live and dried worms, including dried Blood Worms. Quite cheap.

The last aquarium shop we had closed, it was raided actually because the owner had gotten old and could no longer take proper care of his fish and reptiles. I bought the dried worms because the closest place I can get live worms is from Wild Birds Unlimited but the cost is prohibitive, I believe it is about $15 for a pint container, and the place is 2 hours away.

Some of our local parks have Bluebird boxes and they must use the dried mealworms with so many. I tried them in my Oriole feeder, but they wouldn't have anything to do with the dried ones. The live mealworms were a big hit, but I think they need to see them wiggle.

I buy them, but its just the wrens that go for them. Ive got to many trees for buebirds, sad to say.

When I bought them twice, I didn't have any takers. The live ones absolutely! I think you could buy live ones online too.

Pam, we have dozens of trees and a good bit of brush around and often have 6 or more bluebirds in the immediate area. I wonder what could be keeping them from your garden? We have 3 birdbaths and they do love to drink and bathe.

No one has touched those dried worms I foolishly bought yet.

There are bluebirds in the open areas of our neighborhood, but Ive never gotten them to come under the trees. I too have birdbaths, Im torn with those and the feeders as they seem to be a cafeteria for hawks. I just try to keep them happy while I can.

We have a problem with hawks also. There is a Sharp Shinned Hawk that chases the birds into our windows so he can just pick up the spoils. I keep a high powered (water) fire extinguisher on the deck and it squirts about 40', he gets a shower if he or she comes around.

You can see one of the bb houses inthis picture.

I love the fire extinguisher idea. Gunna hijack it. I have the window problem as well. Especially with morning doves

Yes I have problems with hawks getting the birds too. It's the Cooper hawks here as we only really have the sharp shinned during migration. Since I have been extra careful about where I feed the birds it's been much better! I hang the feeders under a hibiscus tree I have. As for the sparrows and mourning doves I put seed underneath bushes so the hawks can't get to them. The window thing is so tricky, I did put decorations in the window to deter collision and it's helped, but not 100%. Here is a link about that I found helpful if anyone is interested. https://www.allaboutbirds.org/...

I have two pairs of blue birds and I put out dried meal worms for them and they eat them right up. My husband made a box so the blue birds could get in and other birds could not.

Interesting, I have a large container of the dried worms I might as well keep trying.

BTW, we have a terrible problem around her with Cowbirds invading the Blue Bird houses. They toss out the bb eggs, lay their own then let the bb mom hatch them. Cowbirds are my least favorite birds!

Artesia I also bought dried mealworms! I had the same question. I have a nesting couple with 4 eggs in my back yard and put out some of the dried mealworms and they haven't touched them. I'm wondering about either getting them wet, or digging up some earthworms and putting them on top to see if that lures them in.

My dried worms have gotten wet from the rain and it did not change a thing here. The resident family ignores them as do the visiting BB's.

I got a cake of dried mealworms; it's sort of like a suet cake only this has no suet, just the dried mealworms. Nothing touched it. Nothing! None of the birds were interested in it at all. They adore the mealworm suet BUT I have tons & tons of bluebirds & not a single one have I seen on the mealworm suet and of course they don't eat seed soooooooooo

That's funny, mine do eat seed. Not as much as others such as the finches or cardinals but they do go to the feeders fairly regularly.

Guess my big container of worms will go into the compost bin.

No kidding?! Your bluebirds eat seed?! Wow. Isn't that interesting? Never, not once, here, have I seen any bluebird eat seed. Then again, I have plenty of bugs for them to eat from the fields.
They take baths like crazy in my birdbaths though.