Darkling beetles are digging...

[jfreels]

Is this normal? I can't find much about it online and I wonder if they are digging to eat eggs maybe? I was under the assumption that they stayed on top.

 

[RocksMama77]

All mine dig. I find them mostly under their feeding tray. I think it is normal because I always have tons of babies so they definitely don't eat all the eggs.

 

[Khrysty]

They dig to the bottom and lay their eggs in the frass, usually. Then the newly hatched mealies eat the frass til they're big enough to eat the substrate..and they work their way to the top

 

[jfreels]

Sweet, good to know! I read a lot of guides for building colonies but never read anything like that.

Thanks everyone!

 

[jfreels]

I pulled up a little bedding from the bottom last night. I can now see leeeetle little babies. Should I put the beetles in another container so they can grow without beetle disturbance?

 

[Dama682]

I pulled up a little bedding from the bottom last night. I can now see leeeetle little babies. Should I put the beetles in another container so they can grow without beetle disturbance?

If you want to, go ahead. It's probably recommended, in case the beetles decide to munch on the mealworms.