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Significance
The Darkling Beetle is the adult form of the mealworm. Generally, the type of Darkling beetle sold in pet stores are in the genus Tenebrio. Mealworms are a staple of many pet shops as they are an easily maintained food source for toads and other small animals, such as lizards, some spiders and other popular children's pets such as small mammals.
Forms
Larve, hatched from eggs laid in the soil, have legs and eventually return to the soil as pupae, which then turn into the adult form of the insect. The larvae is known to shed its skin several times as they develop towards adulthood. Commercial meal worms are often given hormones to prevent them from reaching adulthood. The egg of the Beetle is white, and the pupae gets darker as it ages. The Darkling Beetle can live for 3 to 6 months in some cases.
Aspects
Darkling Beetles can be found all over the U.S., but are primarily found in the West as they particularly like dry areas. Some of these adaptations include not needing to consume water except for in what they eat, and a wing structure that prevents water loss. In nature, the Darkling Beetle can be found under dead logs in the forest. They generally feast on decaying plants and insects of the forest, as well as dung.
Warning
Despite its reputation as a forest ecologist, the Darkling Beetle can cause a problem when it winds up in commercial grain bins, or when it feeds on new plantings. The natural habitats of the Darkling Beetle are currently being threatened by deforestation.
Significance
Some species of the Darkling Beetle are included in the classification genus Eleodes. The beetles in this genus are known in some cases to defend themselves by standing up on two legs and releasing a chemical that can repel and stain its attacker brown. They have also been colloquially called Stink Beetles for this reason.