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Mealworm adults do not move as fast as ground beetles. Also, the hind leg of a mealworm adult has only four tarsal segments, while the hind leg of a ground beetle has five tarsal segments.

There is another species of mealworm known as the Dark Mealworm (Tenebrio obscurus). Young larvae are white, darkening with age. Larvae of yellow mealworms are honey-yellow, while dark mealworms are dark-brown.

Life Cycle and Habits:
Tenebrio beetles are black or dark brown and they feed as larvae and adults on grain products. T. molitor is an important post-harvest pest and occurs spread all over the world. Adult beetles are attracted to night-lights, are strong fliers, and are found in dark places. Each female lays about 275-600 eggs, which hatch into larvae in 4 to 14 days. Eggs are laid singly or in clusters during the spring over a period of 22 to 137 days. Larvae firstly eat the germs of stored grains and can feed on a wide variety of plant products such as ground grains, flour, tobacco and foodstuffs. Larvae are very voracious and highly resistant to low temperature; they can remain alive for 80 days at -5°C. Larvae may spend up to two years in this stage depending on the environment. Individual larvae may wander far from the food source to pupate, making it difficult for homeowners to locate the source of infestation.

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