ORDER: Coleoptera
FAMILY: Tenebrionidae
In the open this beetle lives mainly in dry wood and deciduous trees and in birds nests, but they are commonist man’s vacinity. They colonize in grain and flour stores where they find ideal conditions with an adequate supplement and the necessary warmth. They are often attracted by light but during the day remain in hiding. This species is distributed over practically the whole globe and common in the british isles.
Size, Shape and Colour: Mealworm beetle are aproximately15mm in length, the colours range from from slightly shiny black to very dark brown, very smooth elongated oval in shape, medium length antennae without club, they do have some ridges on wing cases. The larvae grow to 20-25mm in length, it has a yellowish brown thick skinned body. Mealworm larvae are also used as fish bait. This species is common in the british isles.
Biology: 80 – 550 eggs laid, and upto 40 are deposited per day. The larvae moult between 9-20 times and when about 25mm they are fully grown. The adults live 2-3 months and larvae can live 6-9 months without food.
Preferred Foods: Almost any stored food, flour products, cereals and grain.
Habitat: Cellars, basements, flour mills, food warehouse, cereal stores. Their presence usually indicates poor hygiene and housekeeping practices.
