METAMORPHOSIS!

You guys, our little babies are all grown up! I was getting nervous because I didn't see very many mealworms moving around; there always seemed to be about two on the paper towel, but the others looked dead. Today I went to clean their habitat and see what the death toll was, but I found a surprise under the paper towel! We have pupa and beetles! BEETLES! ALREADY!

The pupae look really interesting! They're fatter and lighter than the worms. I'm so glad I didn't just think they were dead worms! Also, there are at least three beetles hiding in the oats. Some of the beetles are black, and some are lighter brown.There are a few shedded skins/exoskeletons around the aquarium. I was worried the beetles might need something else to eat, but reading up online it looks like they eat the same thing as the larva (mealworms).

Overall, it looks like most of the mealworms are transitioning to pupa form, so there isn't much movement going on. It's all kind of exciting!

P.S. Maybe Rebekah should have had them before they became adults, lol :)




Also, it doesn't seem like the mealworms and beetles are eating the apples very much anymore. I put new ones in because I think it helps provide a little moisture in their aquarium/cage, but I rarely see any of them on the apples. Maybe they're more into grain now that their maturing?