Uploaded May 2013 | Updated September 2026, 10 hours ago

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Beetles of mealworms eating fresh carrots. (Tenebrio molitor)
The new and Improved version of the Pupae to beetle automatic sorter in the link below!
http://i.imgur.com/ieqZp6r.jpg

They also eat: oatmeal (quick and traditional), wheatbran, oatbran, freeze-dried crickets and pears. I put some freeze dried mealworms in, but neither the worms nor the beatles have any interest in eating them. By the way, both the larval and beatle form seem to love eating freeze dried crickets. It is ironic because crickets seem to love to eat freeze dried mealworms.

Special update after this video!:
After trying multiple ways of making the beatles escape from the pupa container and into the beatle container (using a paper towel bridge they must climb and fall off) I noticed that many of them would try to climb the sides and not find my bridge. I assumed they could climb duct tape, but they can't. I had some medical tape (micropore) and they can climb it easily! I lined the inside with the tape and now they can climb to the top, but can't climb up on the outside. I am not sure if "Masking tape" would work too, but I know that the adhesive on that stuff is HORRIBLE especially around dusty things. A "free" idea that may be nearly as effective and uses no adhesive would be to get some rough grit sandpaper and sand the inside of the container really rough so they can climb the inside. Also, the shed skins were all removed and more oatmeal was added to the top bin (which has a screen on the bottom and has 2 small containers under it to hold it up above the same type of container, where the eggs/larva will fall through.

I should make a video showing it in action when I have time. If I do, I will move most of this info to that video and link it in this description. I may add a little bit of an edge on the top outer lip, since they seem to be afraid to fall onto soft oats from about 2 inches away and keep reaching down and keep 1 foot attached. However, with only 1 leg holding on, they should eventually tire and let go and be fine, though a 1/2 to 3/4" lip of tape on the top outer lip may make them more willing to fall down sooner.

Here is a picture with details written on the picture:
http://i.imgur.com/ieqZp6r.jpg

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenebrio_molitor

Mealworms are the larval form of the mealworm beetle, Tenebrio molitor, a species of darkling beetle (also known as darkening beetles).

Mealworms are typically used as a food source for reptile, fish, and avian pets. They are also provided to wild birds in bird feeders, particularly during the nesting season, when birds are raising their young and need a ready food supply. Mealworms are high in protein, which makes them especially useful as a food source. They are also commonly used for fishing bait.

They can be purchased at most pet stores and bait shops, and are available via mail order or internet suppliers (by the thousand). Mealworms are typically sold in a container with bran or oatmeal for food.

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Tenebrionidae
Genus: Tenebrio
Species: T. molitor