Mini mealworms

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mini mealworms are the larvae of the darkling beetle Tenebrio obscurus. Mini mealworms would probably remain largely unknown, if not for the reptile pet industry. In the search for easy to raise insects to use as food for captive reptiles and amphibians, mini mealworms have recently attracted interest as an ideal food item for tiny species.

These insect larvae resemble very small mealworms, about ½ to ¾ inch in size. Once they reach adult size, the larvae pupate, and later emerge as small, black beetles.

These insects should not be confused with younger mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) or with the confused flour beetle (Tribolium confusum), which is also occasionally used as a reptile feeder insect.