Mealworm

Mealworm
Temporal range: Holocene, 0.003–0 Ma
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Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Tenebrionidae
Genus: Tenebrio
Species:
T. molitor
Binomial name
Tenebrio molitor
Mealworms, larvae of Tenebrio molitor, illustrated by Des Helmore

Mealworms are the larval form of the yellow mealworm beetle, Tenebrio molitor, a species of darkling beetle.

The yellow mealworm beetle prefers a warmer climate and higher humidity.[1] Male mealworms release a sex pheromone to attract females to mate.[2]

Tenebrio molitor has been used in biomedical research. Mealworms can be a dietary source for animals and humans.[3] They are also considered pests, especially to food storage.

  1. ^ Punzo, Fred; Mutchmor, J. A. (1980). "Effects of Temperature, Relative Humidity and Period of Exposure on the Survival Capacity of Tenebrio molitor (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)". Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society. 53 (2): 260–270. ISSN 0022-8567. JSTOR 25084029.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference pmid22237501 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference :11 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).