Beetlesforlife3 Posted March 6, 2021 Report Posted March 6, 2021 Am I the only one who didn't know mealworms could sorta fly? Quote
kevink Posted March 6, 2021 Report Posted March 6, 2021 As worms, or beetles? Maybe, I've never given it any thought, when I raised mealworms, it was for feeders, most beetles do fly though, some don't, but they're in the minority. Some flying insects are reluctant to fly, many years ago, I'd caught a water strider and had it on the walk looking at it, when it flew off. I'd never seen one flying, and have never seen it mentioned in any book. Quote
Reyes Posted March 6, 2021 Report Posted March 6, 2021 The beetles have wings. Although I’ve never seen an adult in my culture fly, I’m pretty sure they can as adults. If I’m wrong, please correct me. Quote
BensBeasts1 Posted March 6, 2021 Report Posted March 6, 2021 They are darkling beetles so their elytra are fused together after pupating. This creates a really hard exoskeleton and prevents water from escaping. All darklings are unable to fly. Quote
Goliathus Posted March 6, 2021 Report Posted March 6, 2021 Apparently, darklings do in fact sometimes fly (in a limited way), but it's not a "normal" ability, and is caused by an occasional failure of the elytra to fuse during eclosion - Quote
Beetlesforlife3 Posted March 6, 2021 Author Report Posted March 6, 2021 That's what some of mine were doing they would climb the highest object then do that. Quote
Dynastes TItyus hunter Posted March 14, 2021 Report Posted March 14, 2021 Yes, my mealworms emerged and they were found on the floor. They probably flew out of the container. I just checked and they have wings, so possible? Quote
Hisserdude Posted March 15, 2021 Report Posted March 15, 2021 A lot of desert darklings do have their elytra fused, and don't even have flying wings underneath, Tenebrio molitor and a lot of the other grain pests on the other hand don't have fused elytra and can in fact fly, though I found the adults in my T.molitor culture were usually reluctant to unless conditions were bad. Quote
Dynastes Posted March 15, 2021 Report Posted March 15, 2021 Other than the desert dwellers, most darklings are spectacular fliers. I've seen molitor fly but forget the conditions spawning it. Quote
BensBeasts1 Posted March 16, 2021 Report Posted March 16, 2021 I must have been thinking of the desert ones then Quote
Reyes Posted March 27, 2021 Report Posted March 27, 2021 On 3/6/2021 at 4:04 AM, BensBeasts1 said: They are darkling beetles so their elytra are fused together after pupating. This creates a really hard exoskeleton and prevents water from escaping. All darklings are unable to fly. I have done a autopsy on my dead E. Armata. They did not have any wings. But Ben, I believe we are talking about the more Forest species. On 3/22/2021 at 1:54 PM, Dynastes TItyus hunter said: Some don't some do. I believe all Tenebroides sp. can fly. But like Goliathus have said, it's in a limited way. Quote
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