When do mealworms turn into beetles

Larva The second stage of life lasts about eight to ten weeks and is spent as a brown larva. This is the stage where the insect is a mealworm.

When first hatched, it is quite small but will grow to one to one and a half inches long. Since it has a hard exoskeleton, the worm will need to molt and shed its hard outer shell in order to grow. Molts will occur ten to twenty times during this stage of life. A recently molted worm will be soft and white, but the exoskeleton will quickly harden. A mealworm spends its time eating and growing in order to save up energy for the next transformation.

It has no mouth or anus so does not eat. It does have leg and wing buds, but they do not function. Eggs hatch into larvae, called mealworms. They emerge milky white with slender, segmented bodies, which turn yellow-brown in a few days. The pests feed on their surroundings and grow to about an inch in length, shedding their skins several times in the process and contaminating stores of food.

Mealworms remain larvae until temperatures drop, when they transform into pupae to hibernate. Pupae are stout, C-shaped, and appear yellowish-white in color.

They darken as they get closer to adulthood. As summer approaches, adult beetles emerge from the pupa state. Initially white and orange, the pests turn black or yellowish in a few days. Mealworm beetles are slow moving, but their ability to fly allows them to easily travel and infest new areas. Adults live between 3 and 12 months. Once plants are about 6 inches high they are usually safe from darkling beetles.

By using the site, you agree to the uses of cookies and other technology as outlined in our Policy, and to our Terms of Use. Basics Mealworms are the larval stage of the darkling beetle. Control Planted areas that show signs of darkling beetle infestation should be treated if the damage appears extensive.

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