Mealworms Facts

Mealworms are easy to come by, no trouble to propagate and have so many uses. From a tiny egg to a shiny beetle, the mealworm is sure to hold your interest.

  1. Identification

    • Mealworms are the larva of the Tenebrio beetle or the darkling beetle. Mealworms are medium brown to dark brown and measure 1 1/4 inches long at maturity, according to the mealwormstore.com (see Reference 1).

    Life Cycle

    • The mealworm undergoes a four-stage metamorphosis. The first stage is the egg, then the larvae, followed by the pupae and finally the adult, according to the mealwormstore.com (see Reference 1).

    Uses

    • Mealworms are frequently used for feeding reptiles, fish and birds. They are also used for fishing bait and science fair projects (see Reference 2).

    Adult

    • An adult mealworm is a small, dark brown or black beetle with a hard shell. During the adult stage, the darkling beetle is nocturnal and lives only to eat and grow (see Reference 1).

    Food sources

    • Mealworms are scavengers that infest and eat grains such as flour, cornmeal, oats and wheat. This is why they are called mealworms and are classified as a pest, according to EnchantedLearning.com (see Reference 3).

    Fun Fact

    • Mealworms are very nutritious. High in protein and low in fat, they make an excellent food source. The best way to eat them while retaining the nutritional value is raw, according to the mealwormstore.com (see Reference 1).