Mealworm question

[Beetlesforlife3]

Am I the only one who didn't know mealworms could sorta fly?

[kevink]

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. 

[Beetlesforlife3]

Beetles

[Reyes]

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.

[BensBeasts1]

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.

[Goliathus]

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 - 
 

 

[Beetlesforlife3]

That's what some of mine were doing they would climb the highest object then do that.

[Dynastes TItyus hunter]

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?

[Hisserdude]

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. 

[Dynastes]

Other than the desert dwellers, most darklings are spectacular fliers.  I've seen molitor fly but forget the conditions spawning it.

[BensBeasts1]

I must have been thinking of the desert ones then

[Dynastes TItyus hunter]

Some don't some do.

[Reyes]

 

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.