what do mealworms turn out to be when they are grown?
2006-09-22 11:44:51 · 11 answers · asked by Alysha. 2 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
Twistedmouse is right. I keep mealworms too (to feed my gecko) and they routinely turn into pupae and then metamorphose into ordinary-looking black beetles.
The worms can grow to larger sizes and still be larvae if they have abundant food. A good way to get them to metamorphose into adults is starve them, or at least make the food scarce. However, you could try doing that with only a part of your individuals, because if all of them pupate at once, you won't have food for your pet (if that is why you're keeping them).
I keep mine in a small terrarium with a lid (although the adults don't usually escape), with dry bread, corn flour, and other flour-based food scraps, and they are doing fine. The remains of the bread form a sort of bedding after a while.
Once you have the adults, you can try providing a small piece of folded cloth that they will use to lay their eggs.
More about mealworms (family Tenebrionidae), with pictures of all the life stages:
http://www.uoguelph.ca/pdc/Factsheets/PDFs/004Mealworms.pdf#search=%22tenebrionidae%20mealworms%22
2006-09-22 12:01:48 · answer #1 · answered by Calimecita 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Black beetles about 1 inch long. If you want to raise your own you just keep them in a covered container with air holes. Mine did well that way. I kept a piece of raw potato in the container for them to eat. It holds enough moisture for them that you don't have to worry about a source of water. Replace it when they've eaten holes in it or when it gets dry. You'll see the mealworms turn into a little pupae that sort of resembles a mummy and then a beetle will emerge. The beetles will mate and you will begin to notice tiny mealworms in the container. I never saw where or how they lay eggs but I suspect it was in the bedding or in the potato. Use a dry bedding like bran or raw oatmeal. Be warned, they are a little bit smelly. I always thought they smelled faintly like urine.
2006-09-22 11:54:14 · answer #2 · answered by twistedmouse 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Mealworms are the larval form of the mealworm beetle, Tenebrio molitor, a species of darkling beetle.
2006-09-22 11:55:48 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
big mealworms or snackworms
2006-09-22 11:47:15 · answer #4 · answered by Lele07 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Black Beetles
2006-09-22 12:45:36 · answer #5 · answered by fantasygurl20 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Meals of course. Duh.....big red truck!
2006-09-22 11:49:46 · answer #6 · answered by Becky 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
usually dinner for some lizard
2006-09-22 11:47:18 · answer #7 · answered by tampico 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Moths LOL Black beetles-NOT!
2006-09-22 11:54:21 · answer #8 · answered by kirby 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
a beetle!
2006-09-22 11:54:54 · answer #9 · answered by genevievepichler 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
allyoucaneatbuffet-worms. xD
2006-09-22 11:53:06 · answer #10 · answered by miss_gem_01 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋