tan mealworms beetles?

[amanda509]

i thought they all came in black, but ive been getting tan ones? are they a different species or what? (no, they are not for my chameleon lol)

 

[Miss Lily]

I think those ones are newly emerged from the pupa. They darken up gradually as they dry out and age.

 

[amanda509]

I think those ones are newly emerged from the pupa. They darken up gradually as they dry out and age.

haha, that sounds like a lovely life cycle "dry up and age" sounds like us people!

 

[Miss Lily]

Haha, yeah! I suppose its a bit like when silk moths emerge they excrete excess liquid when their wings dry out. Also like when a mela worm moults - it goes darker after a while. Monty loves newly moulted mealworms! When I gave hima brown one once he spat it back out, lol! At least the white ones don't have the high chitin levels.

 

[Jac1582]

Yeah crickets are white after they shed their skin and look really freaky for about a day or so till they dry out and toughen back up.