Can Superworms and mealworms live together?

[Deacon]

Can these two feeders be kept together?

 

[Ranitomeya]

Unlike superworms that need to be separated in order to pupate, mealworms will pupate within the enclosure and subsequently be devoured by the superworms. Aside from that, there should be relatively little issue with keeping them together aside from the superworms munching on freshly molted mealworms and any that pupate.

 

[Deacon]

Ranitomeya,

What do you mean about superworms needing to be separated in order to pupate?  From each other or from the mealworms?  I've been assuming the superworms' adult stage is a big beetle.  Is that correct? I did put them together and they went to the bottom of the meal so I won't know what they are eating.  Are the superworms big meat eaters versus grains?   

Today I fed pieces of the superworms (after pulling out the black gut) to my mantids and they were a much bigger hit than mealworms!  Even the tiny adult male Budwing and female ghost chomped on them and they are both picky eaters.  So, those 21 superworms that are left may not last to pupate.

 

[Introvertebrate]

What do you mean about superworms needing to be separated in order to pupate?  From each other or from the mealworms?

Both.  Solitary confinement triggers the morph response.

 

[Ranitomeya]

It's not that solitary confinement that triggers pupation, but contact with other larvae inhibits pupation since they would be devoured if they did not find somewhere isolated and safe to pupate.

Superworm beetles are a decent-sized beetle. Definitely much bigger than a the mealworm beetle. Superworms and mealworms are both capable of eating whatever you provide them and do fine on grains, but superworms are definitely more opportunistic and tend to prefer more moisture than mealworms and will not hesitate to eat other helpless organisms.

 

[Deacon]

Thank you both.

Learned something else today!  I'm glad I'm not intending to raise the superworms.  The mantids are loving them so the worms won't last anyway.  Your information clears up a question for me though.  When I purchased them a few days ago, I noticed that the date was JAN and I thought ugh.  But, I opened them at the store to take a look, expecting dead worms and/or pupae and there were none. Just big, fat, shiny superworms.  They must live longer in the worm stage since they won't pupate circling each other in a cup.  Yay!