About mealworms:
• Life Stages: Mealworms are the second of four stages of life. They are tiny little yellowish brown worms. The first stage of life is the egg. This stage lasts for 7-14 days before they grow into larva. The larva stage lasts for 30-90 days. The third stage of life is a pupa, where the larva becomes off-white in colour and develops a harder exterior. The last stage of a mealworm is the adult stage which lasts only 5-10 days.
• Reproduction: Mealworms reproduce in three steps: the male pursues the female, the male mounts the female, and the female is inseminated. Just days after mating, the female will burrow into the ground and lay approximately 500 eggs, which will hatch in 4-19 days.
• Diet: Mealworms eat grains, vegetables, fruit and spoiled foods.
· Predators: Mealworms have many predators including rodents, lizards, predatory beetles, spiders, and birds.
• Habitat: Mealworms enjoy warm and dark places. Especially decaying logs and leaves. They can be found in most parts of the world.
• Mealworms are important: Mealworms play an important part in our ecosystem. They are food for a variety of animals such as: birds, spiders, rodents, and reptiles. They eat, and aid in decomposition and cleaning up of, unwanted food.
• Reproduction: Mealworms reproduce in three steps: the male pursues the female, the male mounts the female, and the female is inseminated. Just days after mating, the female will burrow into the ground and lay approximately 500 eggs, which will hatch in 4-19 days.
• Diet: Mealworms eat grains, vegetables, fruit and spoiled foods.
· Predators: Mealworms have many predators including rodents, lizards, predatory beetles, spiders, and birds.
• Habitat: Mealworms enjoy warm and dark places. Especially decaying logs and leaves. They can be found in most parts of the world.
• Mealworms are important: Mealworms play an important part in our ecosystem. They are food for a variety of animals such as: birds, spiders, rodents, and reptiles. They eat, and aid in decomposition and cleaning up of, unwanted food.