Keeping Meal Worms

Meal Worms are larvae of beetles. Several species are sold by pet shops. The best for study purposes is the larger Tenebrio molitor, which is one of the minor pests of stored food stuffs. They breed well in dry processed grains such as bran, poultry food, breakfast cereals and can be kept in a large plastic box with a perforated lid. An occasional piece of carrot or fruit skin should be added to give a moisture source for the adults. Eggs, larvae, pupae and adults occur dispersed through the food material and can be sifted out. The adults are useful for the walking experiment described later.