1. Darkling Beetles
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2. Darkling Beetle Basics1 2 3 4 6
common name for a family of ~20,000 beetles!
Tenebrionidae
“seeker of dark places”
Scavengers
found all over the world; spread by humans
Many different habitats, including niche habitats (deserts, forests)
Adaptations
places with lots of light
deserts with little moisture 5

3. Metamorphosis Extreme, rapid changes after hatching (birth) 2 types
Complete (egg, larvae, pupa, adult)
Incomplete (egg, nymph, adult) 7
Do Darkling Beetles undergo complete or incomplete metamorphosis?
What does the nymph remind you of?

4. Life Cycles complete metamorphosis8

5. Mealworm to Beetle Observing your beetles 9 10
Eggs are difficult to see (they are the size of a pin head)
The larvae grows rapidly and molts (sheds its exoskeleton) several times
The pupa doesn’t move or eat, but a lot of change is taking place inside!
The beetle is ready to emerge when the pupa begins twitching or you see legs moving
In the first hours after emerging from the pupa, your beetle will go from whitish-tan, to orange, to red, to black!

6. Keeping Beetles at Home
Having beetles is like having any other pet
Ask your parents for permission: it is a family decision!
Plan your beetle enclosure
How big will it be, where will you keep it?
Who will keep the enclosure clean and give the beetles food?
Do you have any other pets?
Don’t forget about your beetles – they are very resilient, but need care!
If you decide to keep your own Darkling Beetles:
Large tupperware containing soil, sticks, rocks, food trays
Food: wheat bran, oat bran
Moisture: cucumbers, carrots, potatoes (a spritz of water if very dry)
Change the food every 3 – 4 days
Isolate worms into separate cups to make sure adults don’t attack!
To control the population: cooler part of the house, less darkness

7. Picture References pg
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