About the Meal Worm Habitat

The mealworm is the larva state of the darkling beetle. In the larva state, mealworms are an inch long and are yellow. Typically, the mealworm's life span is three to five months, before moving on to the pupa stage. Mealworms are an important part of the ecosystem because they provide a food source for a variety of predators and they clean up decaying matter. The habitat of the mealworm will depend on whether it is a wild mealworm or grown in captivity.

  1. Wild Habitats

    • In the wild, the diet of mealworms dictates where they live. Their food sources are decaying substances, which includes dead insects, feces and decaying plant matter. Mealworms live under rocks or in logs and near other animal dens or burrows. These places provide the food sources that the mealworms need and also provide protection from predators by allowing them to hide.

    Warnings

    • Mealworms do not bite and are not able to harm humans in the larva stage, although the adult beetle does emit chemicals that can turn the human skin brown. However, mealworms prove to be a nuisance to farmers, because they eat stored grains. This damage causes farmers' profits to decrease.

    Captivity Habitats

    • Growing mealworms in the classroom can be part of a valuable biology experience. Others may grow mealworms as fresh food supply for their pet lizards, frogs and birds. The experience of growing mealworms is not difficult and can save a lot of money, partiuclarly for those who have a large number of pets that eat mealworms.

    Construction

    • You will need a container to house the mealworms in. The container can be something as simple as plastic or paper cups or something as elaborate as terrarium-like 2-liter bottles. Some even grow their mealworms in plastic food storage containers. Mealworms will need plenty of oxygen, so be sure to provide holes in the lid to your container. Fill the container with some type of "substrate," a substance that your mealworms can dig in and eat. Oats and bran are the best types of substrates to use. Rotate bits of potatoes and fresh vegetables and fruit into the container.

    Water

    • Mealworms derive all of the water they need from the food they eat. They will not need any access to water if you are growing mealworms in captivity. As the potatoes or other vegetables begin to decay, you should replace them. The mealworms will eat these, but you should throw them out before they go bad because too much decayed vegetables will provide too much moisture to your mealworm and kill it.