Yellow Mealworm Beetle

Tenebrio molitor

Appearance

•  Adults - 20mm long. They are shiny, dark–brown or black.
•  Larvae are honey-yellow, they have a smooth, highly polished, shiny, elongate, hard, worm-like body, and can grow to 30 mm long.

Lifecycle

•  Each female lays about 275–600 eggs singly or in clusters during the spring. They are white, bean-shaped and about 1mm long and hatch into larvae in 4 to 14 days.
•  The pupal stage lasts 7 to 24 days during the spring. Pupae are first white, turning yellow, and are not enclosed in a cocoon.
•  Adults emerge in the spring or early summer, living for two to three months.

Habits

•  They are highly resistant to cold temperatures.
•  It is an important post–harvest pest and occurs spread all over the world.
•  Adult beetles are attracted to night-lights, are strong fliers, and are found in dark places.