• Remove pupae immediately from mealworm enclosure and put in beetle or separate enclosure. Pupae will emerge in about a week into an adult beetle. Once the beetles are transferred to the eggs in the beetle substrate will develop into the next generation of mealworm.
  • Mealworms need moisture. BUT NOT water or watery fruits/vegetables. This will mold the substrate. Provide potatoes, carrots, and lettuce. The mealworm should have a water source offered every few days. Beetles need a constant supply of water. Give the beetles a carrot or lettuce every other day.
  • Remove uneaten food periodically. Bread cereal and dog food can be added for additional nutrients, but in moderation. Offer dog food (tiny bits) for additional proteins. (This is entirely up to you)
  • Separation is key!

References

Gould, G. E., and H. E. Moses. 1951. Lesser mealworm infestation in a brooder house. J. Econ. Entomol. 44: 265.

Pfeiffer, D. G., and R. C. Axtell. 1980. Coleoptera of poultry manure in caged-layer in North Carolina. Environ. Entomol. 42: 575D577.

"Mealworm." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 26 June 2015.

Salin, C. 1999. Contribution à lOe' cologie dOAlphitobius diaperinus (Panzer) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), insect February 2003 SALIN ET AL.: PYRETHROID AND IGR CONTROL OF THE LESSER MEALWORM 129 associe' aux e' levages hors-sol en Bretagne. The' se Universite', Universite' de Rennes 1, France.

Salin, C., Y. R. Delettre, and P. Vernon. "Controlling the mealworm Alphitobius diaperinus (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) in broiler and turkey houses: field trials with a combined insecticide treatment: insect growth regulator and pyrethroid." Journal of Economic Entomology 96.1 (2003): 126-130.

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank Ms. Regina Hill and her team for taking the time out of their job to serve as mentors to my team. These nice people helped us a lot. Without them we would not have any advanced understanding of the mealworm life cycle. I would also like to thank the leaders of SAP for allowing me with this opportunity and possibly finding a path I would like to follow for a career in the future. I would also like to thank them for making me feel like I'm in a safe environment and could speak up whenever I had a problem or issue. Special thanks to these people: Eric Turley, Dr. George Antonious, Dr. Buddhi Gyawali, and especially Regina Hill.