Mealworms Life Cycle

Did you know that mealworms are not worms? They are actually the larva form of a mealworm beetle. This larva form is the second stage, in mealworms life cycle, and at this stage, it does look like a worm. Elaborated below, are the mealworms life stages.

The Life Cycle of Mealworms

Mealworms go through huge metamorphosis, during their life cycle, transforming from tiny eggs to full grown adult beetles. Here, are the four interesting stages of the mealworms life cycle.

Stage I - The Egg
So, how are the eggs formed? Development in mealworm beetles occurs in three stages. The first stage is the laying of the eggs. First the male beetle chases the female beetle till she gives in. Then the mating happens and the male releases the sperms into the female genital tract. After a few days the female looks for soft ground to burrow and lays around 500 eggs. These eggs are tiny, white colored and oval shaped. However, due to dust and other impurities, the egg become yellowish.

Stage II - The Larva
After 4 - 20 days, the eggs hatch and the larvae surface! This is the second stage, in the mealworms life cycle, where it actually resembles a worm. At this stage, the mealworm keeps crawling and eats vigorously on any vegetation or dead insects. Molting or the shedding of its outer skin, which looks like dry scales, happens in this stage. The molting continues till the larva grows too big for its exoskeleton. The mealworm then drops its carapace, and curls into a pupa. In the larva stage, the mealworms life span is around 90 - 115 days.

Stage III - The Pupa
A mealworms life cycle lasts for a period that can range from 2 weeks to few months! If the conditions are favorable and the temperature is warm, the pupa stage lasts for a few weeks, however if it is very cold, this pupa stage can last for a couple of months. The pupa doesn't eat anything during the stage and appears inactive. But there are several changes going on inside the pupa where it is actually growing into an adult. In the beginning, the pupa looks creamy white in color, but slowly transforms to a brownish color. This pupa of mealworms look similar to the pupas of butterflies.

Stage IV - The Adult
After the pupa stage is over, a white colored beetle with dark wings emerges from the pupa, which eventually turns brown. This is the most active phase of this insect, where it can run very quickly and also bite. So, avoid trying to catch a brown beetle! In the last phase of the adult beetle, it changes its color from brown to black. The total life span of the mealworm beetle is 1 year.

If you enjoyed, reading about the mealworms life cycle, you may also like to read about

• Silkworm Life Cycle
• Life Cycle of a Grasshopper
• Life Cycle of a Snail
• The Life Cycle of Butterflies

Interesting Facts About Mealworms

After the information about the life cycle of a mealworm, here is some interesting information on mealworms.

• Mealworms are bred in zoos to be used as food for birds, reptiles and other animals.
• You can buy around 20 mealworms, for USD 4. However, these mealworms are sometimes injected with hormones, so that they don't develop into beetles. Therefore, try to avoid feeding them to your pets.
• Yellow mealworms can be found all around the world.
• Mealworms are used to make tequila flavored candies.
• Mealworms are not pests, and hence are not a threat to the cereal plants. However, they thrive on the flour made from any cereal.
• Mealworms can be eaten and are therefore the staple food in many reality shows like Survivor and Fear Factor! However, do not try eating them at home.

Mentioned above, were the four stages of the mealworms life cycle; and some interesting facts about mealworms. You can also experiment with growing mealworms at home. Just buy mealworms (non-hormone injected ones) from a pet store. Keep them in an open container, with some flour and water for food. The mealworms will develop into pupas in a few weeks and a week later will transform into beetles. This way you can watch the life cycle of the mealworms yourself.