Zophobas morio
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| Zophobas morio Fabricius, 1776 |
Zophobas morio is a species of darkling beetle, whose larvae are known by the common name superworm or zophobas.
Superworms are common in the reptile pet industry. In the search for easy to raise insects to use as food for captive reptiles and amphibians, superworms quickly moved into the spotlight, and have been a staple feeder insect ever since.
These insect larvae resemble very large mealworms, about 1 1/2 to 2 1/4 inches long. Once they reach adult size, the larvae pupate, and later emerge as large, black beetles. The larvae will not pupate if kept in a container with many other larvae, where they receive constant bodily contact. Keeping superworms this way is commonly used to hinder pupation.
Superworms are readily accepted by lizards, frogs, salamanders, birds, and other insectivorous animals. Their hard chitin may make them less suitable for arachnids and some predatory insects. Their nutritional values are similar to those of mealworms, so supplementation with calcium is necessary if they are used as a staple food item. They are odor-free (but the beetles release some odor if provoked), and can be easily contained with little to no risk of escapes, making them ideal for raising at home to feed a collection of captive insectivores.
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[edit] Educational opportunities
Superworms are often chosen as an educational project for children. Their large size and easy care make them excellent classroom subjects for demonstrating insect life cycles with a complete metamorphosis. The worms can give a pinch if handled roughly, so handling should be supervised, but they do not bite hard enough to break skin. The beetles do not bite. The defensive odor emitted by the adult beetles will add an additional lesson to the project.
[edit] Smoke sensitivity
Both the larvae and the beetles of superworms are very sensitive to tobacco smoke and some incense. Even small amounts of tobacco smoke (ie smoking a cigarette in the same room as the insects are kept) will make them show some hyperactivity. Smoking should therefore be kept to a minimum in order to breed healthy individuals.
[edit] Feeding ethics and safety
Many reptile owners prefer to clip off the head of the larva, before feeding it to the reptile, as this will prevent the larva from getting eaten alive. The threat of the worm eating its way out of the reptile is not just a myth. It is extremely rare, but can occur with juvenile reptiles that are not strong enough to kill the larva by chewing then swallow the larvae alive. [citation needed]
[edit] Breeding
[edit] Feed
Larvae and beetles both will eat just about anything, although to ensure that they are healthy insects for feeding purposes, they should be given healthy and clean food. Examples of preferred food include:
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- Fruit (also provides water)
- Oats
- Carrots
- Vegetables
- Peels (but not from vegetables or fruit which are commonly treated with insecticides, including for example bananas and oranges).
- Beans
[edit] Different states in breeding
[edit] Pupating
Breeding of superworms can be started with just a small number of individuals. It is best to take full-grown larvae, each one by itself into an empty film container with some small holes in the lid. There should be some wooden flakes in the container but there is no need for food, as long as the individual is in its full-grown larva state. The lid is put on the container and containers are kept dark at room temperature in a not too moist atmosphere (as this could cause fungus and mold attacks).
During the pupated state the larva will not actually spin itself into a cocoon, but it will go into a resting state where it will only move if it is disturbed physically, and then only by twisting back and forth.
Some of the larvae might prove not to go into the resting state.
[edit] Pupal state
In a few weeks most of the larvae will begin to molt. First they will molt into a pupa, resembling half larvae half beetle. This pupa will usually remain quite light colored. After this the pupa will emerge as a beetle.
[edit] Beetle state
At first the beetle will be very light yellow in color, before turning black. It should be left and kept alone until it has become totally black, since this indicates that the exoskeleton has hardened and it is no longer at risk of being eaten by other beetles.
[edit] Egg-laying
The beetles should be kept in a more spacious container separate from the worms, and for egg-laying, either with some wood with bark on it or on a 1 mm-hole mesh-frame placed on a bed of wood flakes.
[edit] Mini larvae
Eggs laid on the bark or in the flakes will soon develop into very tiny (appoximately 0.5 mm) larvae. The beetles should then be removed, or if a mesh is used, simply lift the frame out with the beetles on it.
[edit] Larvae keeping
The larvae will grow very fast. For fastest breeding they can be kept in a quite small container, where they always will have body contact with another individual. Keeping them this way will also prevent them from pupating.
[edit] Mold and cannibalism
To prevent cannibalism the larvae should be given enough food. It is also important to see that there is not too much moist food in the container, as this can cause the exoskeleton of the larvae to soften, making them prone to be eaten by other individuals. If it becomes apparent that their exoskeletons have begun to soften due to humidity, it is possible to dry the worms by adding sawdust or wooden flakes to the breeding container.
[edit] Media appearances
- Superworms are a common item consumed by the contestants of Fear Factor. Usually this is done in the second round.
- In the movie Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas superworms can be seen crawling around in (and out of) a peanut bowl during an hallucinatory visit to a Las Vegas bar.
[edit] References
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This article does not cite any references or sources. (September 2007) Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. |
