Deformed Darkling Beetles

Hello everyone,

I began a mealworm colony around a couple months ago. Things are going great. I have zero mortality with pupae and have only lost two beetles so far. I realize things are still early but it all seems to be going smoothly.

The beetles I lost were deformed in the transition from pupa to beetle. Recently I spotted a guy with only half a shell. He can walk and eat normally, so I have let him be. My question is whether he can breed without issue still. And if he can, should he?

I did a quick Google search and ran across someone saying you should eliminate any deformed ones to keep the line 'pure'. Is this really a problem? Do I need to kill off any deformed beetles I see?

Thanks for the help,

Hello,

some photo would be helpful. Altough I am not mealwoem expert, I can tell some deformations might be caused by inpropper conditions (temperature, humidity), food or physical damage caused by other worms / beetles. It could also be a genetical issue, but it is quiet hard to tell. You can separate affected ones and see if other beetles will be also abnormal.

Please, keep thread updated and have a good luck.

I see this frequently and don't worry about it, personally.

I don't worry about it either. If they're too deformed to be productive, they'll just die. I have enough trouble keeping the beetles, pupae and worms separated without picking through the beetles as well.

Aliza

Thanks for the replies guys!

Here is the beetle in question:


I feel like the most likely cause of the damage is other beetles. I am going against almost every meal worm colony guide I have found on the internet by keeping worms, pupae, and beetles all in the same bin. I have read that the beetles with eat the eggs and damage the pupae, so I understand things like this might happen. The goal of my meal worm colony was not to raise them as a staple food, but as the occasional treat for my little girl. (It's also kind of a little science experiment for myself. Really I could just go to the store once a month for a cup of meal worms, but this was definitely the more exciting route.)

The bin I have them in is roughly 10"W x 18"L x 6" tall. The bedding is about 1" deep wheat bran. Carrots are provided for food and moisture. The carrots are strategically placed so if a beetle were heading towards the pupae for a snack, they would run into the carrots first. I also have a sponge that I soaked to get a little more moisture in the air (my house is super dry). I never have any moisture on the sides or roof, so I don't think the humidity is too high.

Other than this little guy all the other beetles are very healthy looking. The beetles keep to their own area pretty much.

I think I'm just going to leave them be, as the other posters here have done without issue. Thanks everyone!

I do keep my beetles, pupae and worms separate and I get beetles with the same look. I don't think it's anything to worry about.

Aliza