Need help identifying larva!

So, yesterday I found a beetle larva under some bark on a rotting log, Ive never seen one of these before, and Im going on the assumption that its a tenebrionid, its a little bit similar to meracantha contracta, except that the end is rounded and not caved in, plus Im pretty sure they dont live in my area. One thing I considered it may be is tarpela micans, but Ive never seen a larva from one of those before so I dont know. Any opinions or care tips would be greatly appreciated, and if it succeeds I will post updates (it was surprisingly covered partially in frost when I found it).

Bump!

Zenoa picea? I think that picea's larval tail end is supposed to be highly distinctive or something.

Hisserdude has pics somewhere on his blog, where he kept it in wood and raised it to adulthood. Bugguide may have range distribution info (so you can confirm/reject my guess based on location).

Note: Contracta's larval "spoontail" is apparently also distinctive enough to ID it undoubtedly in the US, based on bugguide comments. Most darkling larvae cannot be ID'd until adulthood. This one, of course, isn't contracta, since tail isn't concave.

And one more thing...

Submit it to bugguide's ID request. There are only two different picea larvae pictured on bugguide, and one of them was Hisserdude's. If my identification is correct, all the bugguide experts will drool like water fountains!

Definitely looks like Zenoa picea to me, it's not Meracantha contracta.

It'll eat rotten wood, and that's about it. Adults have a very short lifespan and do not appear to eat.

Ok thanks y’all (I’m a southern boy don’t judge) I think it’s definitely zenoa picea (it looks just like it) and I’m kind of disappointed lol. Also, has anyone ever actually bred tarpela micans? Or seen any larvae? If anyone wants to try, I find decent numbers in the spring usually. Thanks!

Bugboy3092 said:

Ok thanks y’all (I’m a southern boy don’t judge) I think it’s definitely zenoa picea (it looks just like it) and I’m kind of disappointed lol. Also, has anyone ever actually bred tarpela micans? Or seen any larvae? If anyone wants to try, I find decent numbers in the spring usually. Thanks!

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I think a couple of people have collected adults and tried to breed them, but none have succeeded in getting the females to oviposit... I'm not sure anyone's ever photographed a T.micans larva TBH.