I just saw a titmouse eat one!

(I can live with that!)

Ann...my mealworm feeder is a cage style with the dish in the middle. Larger birds cannot use the feeder, but yes, it will allow the smaller ones in. I placed the feeder on the opposite side of my yard away from the regular feeders,(where the blues love to perch), and had very little competition...the blues had their mealworms and the other backyard birds never discovered them, which really surprised me.

An enclosed feeder may help, but the smaller birds will probably continue to enjoy the mealies. Good Luck!

Donna

ANN,
I have only known House Sparrows to get meal worms when they are feeding their young.Cardinals will also do that and wood peckers.Yes, Titmouse and Wrens love them too.
Like Donna said, the best thing is an enclosed feeder.
michelle

I forget to mention that I had Carolina wrens nesting in a wall planter near my patio. When the babies hatched, I placed a small bowl of mealworms on the table which was just a few feet from the planter...it took the parents just a few seconds to find them! I had no idea at the time that the wrens loved the mealies too! It was such fun to watch...I sure hope they return in the spring, as well as the BLUES!!!

Donna

Thanks Donna and Michelle!

I put my sunflower seed feeder and mealworm feeder on the same pole with the baffle----that was my mistake (trying to cut costs---now I'll pay for it in mealworms!)

I'll separate the feeders and see if it helps, at least so that more and more birds don't discover the worms.

At one point I thought about altering the gazebo to exclude larger birds (adding more vertical bars) but I rarely see larger birds here, and it would be much harder to fill that way! It wouldn't stop the sparrows, titmice (?) and wrens anyway. And I'd never begrudge a cardinal a meal.

Can anyone direct me to a pic of a feeder that would keep even slightly larger birds out? I don't like the jar ones---too much sun around here and the worms would be sauteed in the summer (tho it would be nice in January.) I need something to keep them ventilated!

Also, can anyone recommend an inexpensive source of bluebird friendly suet or nuggets? I'm really going through that stuff now!! I guess I'll consider making my own...if I really have to!!

THANKS!

Ann

Ann, here are some options for you. I have the Bluebird Nut Deluxe feeder and absolutely love it. It lets all the small birds in but keeps out the mockers, blue jays, etc. Sorry, your cardinals won't fit either! You could always put a few mealworms in small bowl for them.
Kathy

Here is a link that might be useful: Mealworm Feeders

WOW, WOW, WOW! A mealworm warming cup?!? And what a nice feeder! Unfortunately it's out of my price range, but if I can find cheap wire fencing with 1 1/2 " openings it'll be easy to adapt my gazebo.

I was going to put the mealworms in a dish in my heated bird bath so they don't freeze, but that leaves them exposed to rain as well as all these new hungry birds. A heated dish in the covered feeder looks awesome.

I never saw this site before---thank you!!!

Ann

Here is another pic. I've got some feeder reviews here: http://www.sialis.org/feeder.htm#plans and links to plans for ones you can make yourself.

Avoid letting worms fall to the ground when filling a feeder, as you may inadvertently "train" other birds like robins, and attract fire ants if they are in your area. Other birds that enjoy mealworms include Tufted Titmice, Carolina Wrens, nuthatches, chickadees, red bellied woodpeckers, Blue and Scrub Jays, mockingbirds, Towhees and Phoebes. Mockingbirds are notorious for quickly learning to come to a feeder for mealworms, so you may wish to use a style that excludes larger birds.

Here is a link that might be useful: mealworm feeder cage style