darkling beetle? - Tenebrio molitor

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Copyright © 2017 schoenitz

darkling beetle? - Tenebrio molitor

W Windsor, Mercer County, New Jersey, USA
February 25, 2017
Size: just under 1 inch (guess)

Found under straw in a chicken nest box. There were several tens of live ones, a few were shriveled. Some time ago a bag of store-bought dried mealworms had been stored on top of the nest box. Could there have been viable eggs in that bag that later hatched?

Contributed by schoenitz on 27 February, 2017 - 9:46pm
Last updated 28 February, 2017 - 7:35pm

Moved

Moved from ID Request.

… Hisserdude, 28 February, 2017 - 7:35pm

Tenebrio molitor, the Yellow Mealworm...

Looks like you found some stragglers, or they have been breeding in your chicken box.

… Hisserdude, 28 February, 2017 - 7:34pm

Thanks!

It's surprising though that any mealworms could survive the drying.

… schoenitz, 28 February, 2017 - 8:47pm

They need very little moisture to survive...

They are extremely hardy little critters, part of the reason they are considered grain pests. :)

… Hisserdude, 28 February, 2017 - 8:51pm

thanks for correcting data

… v belov, 27 February, 2017 - 9:59pm

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