Superworm
The superworm is not a worm at all. It is the big, wriggly larva of a black darkling beetle. It looks like a giant mealworm with dark ends, and pet owners feed it to lizards, frogs and birds.
How big is it?
How long is it?
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How fast is it?
Fun facts
When it is ready to change, it curls into a stiff C shape before it becomes a pupa.
If superworms are kept close together with lots of food, they wait longer before turning into beetles.
It can live for one to two weeks without eating.
The grown-up beetles can let out a stinky smell when they are bothered.
Tiny helpers in its tummy help it break down plastic foam.
Most asked questions about Superworm
?Is a superworm a worm?
No. It is the larva of a darkling beetle. When it grows up, it turns into a black beetle.
?Do superworms bite?
They can give a little nip if they are handled roughly, but it is not very painful.
?Can superworms really eat plastic?
Yes, they can chew and digest polystyrene foam, with help from tiny bacteria in their gut.
For bug experts
- Scientific name
- Zophobas atratus
- Group
- Beetles
- Family
- Tenebrionidae
- Classification
- Insecta > Coleoptera > Tenebrionidae
- Lives on
- North America, South America
- Also known as
- Giant mealworm beetle, Kingworm, Barley worm, Morio worm
Where the facts come from
- Zophobas atratus (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0): what it looks like, where it lives, what it eats, sizes and fun facts, retold in simple words.
- Picture by Brian Gratwicke. CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons. The round sticker of this bug is cut from the same picture.
If we got something wrong, sorry, we are bug fans, not a science journal. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
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