"Mealworms"

Scientists who ask a lot of questions!

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Mealworms have 4 stages:
1. Egg--Looks like a white bean

2. Larva--Looks like a worm with six legs.
    Exoskeleton that sheds as it grows.Molts occur
    10-20 times during this stage in life.

3. Pupa--Looks like an alien. Does not eat, can wiggle.
    Stays in this stage for about 1-3 weeks.

4. Adult--Darkling Beetle with hard wings but it is
    unable to fly. Turns brown then black. Adult beetles
    mate and the females lay hundreds of eggs.

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Story of a Mealworm

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Tucked away in the forest
lived a little baby. It wasn't
an ordinary baby. It was a....

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Mealworm egg!

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Then the mealworm egg hatched.

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"I'm so hungry!" the mealworm cried.

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"Yummy!"

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The mealworm grew big and strong
as it continued to decompose food found
on the ground.

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Until one day the mealworm
stopped moving. It sat still for weeks
and weeks and turned into something
that looked like an alien.

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The mealworm turned into a pupa! It was
in the metamorphosis stage of life. The pupa
did not eat or move except for an occasional
wiggle from time to time.

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Finally, little legs poked out of the
pupa. The mealworm shed its skin
and out popped a darkling beetle!
A full adult ready to take on a new
adventure!

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXIuSXFGX-k

Mealworm Life Cycle

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Mealworm Habitat

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Mealworm Habitat
To build your own mealworm habitat
first find a large container with a cover.
Poke holes in the cover so oxygen can
pass into the container. Next, fill a
container with oats. What do you think
the oats are used for?

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