Mealworms are a type of beetle that is widely used as feed for animals like chickens, fish, and reptiles. They are also edible for humans and have a nutty flavor.
Mealworms have a life cycle that consists of four stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult.
The eggs are small and white and are laid in batches of around 100. The larva stage is when the mealworms grow the most, reaching up to 3 cm long. They go through three molts before becoming a pupa.
The pupa stage is when the mealworm turns into an adult beetle. It takes around two weeks for a mealworm to go from egg to adult. Adult mealworms can live for up to two years.
What do mealworms turn into?
Mealworms are larval until their temperatures drop, and then they transform into pupae and go into a hibernating state. Pupae are big, yellowish-white in color, and C-shaped. They become dark as they become older and turn into beetles.
The time it takes a mealworm to complete its life cycle depends on the temperature of the environment around it and the amount of food present. The average life cycle of a mealworm can have anywhere from four to twelve months.
Stages of Mealworms life cycle
EGG
The mealworm life cycle begins at breeding in late spring or early summer when female mealworms search for dark locations in which to lay their eggs.
When they reproduce in buildings, they are often found laying eggs in cereal, meal, or flour containers. Females typically lay approximately 300 white, pea-shaped eggs at once.
Larva
Mealworms hatch from eggs, or young larvae, which are called mealworms. The mealworms emerge whitish milky in color with thin, segmented bodies.
As it matures, the mealworm turns yellowish-brown and grows to about an inch in length. It then sheds its skin several times and becomes dangerous to stored foods.
Pupa
Mealworms are larval until their temperatures drop, and then they transform into pupae and go into a hibernating state. Pupae are big, yellowish-white in color, and C-shaped. They become dark as they become older and turn into beetles.
Adult
Adult beetles begin to emerge during spring, turning to black and yellow after a few days.
Mealworm beetles have small wings and move slowly, but they possess powerful flying capabilities, which allow them to move fast around the larger area and infest new places.
Adult beetles generally live between 3 and 12 months.
Often, adult beetles lay their eggs in grain or grain-containing items, which makes it particularly difficult to observe the entire life cycle.
The larval stage is noticeable because of the appearance of fully grown larvae that are about an inch long.
Mealworms as pet food and fish bait
While shopping at a pet supply store, you may notice yellow mealworms being sold as pet food.
Mealworms are a food source for reptiles, birds, and other animals. They are also offered in bird feeders during the nesting season when wild birds are raising their young.
Mealworms are commonly used as bait for fishing.
Mealworms are available online and at many pet stores, as well as by mail order and independent retailers. They’re typically sold in a bin with oats or bran as bedding.
Commercial growers utilize a juvenile hormone in the mealworm feeding process, which helps them to keep the mealworm in the larval state and ensure that it grows more than 2 cm or longer.
This 2 cm long mealworm is primarily sold as fishing bait.
