There is very little parental care in this species and in most insects. Males only
give sperm and a few nutrients to the female. Females put in more care than males,
but still not very much. After mating, females must search for good places to lay
their eggs, because after laying them, the female abandons them to fend for themselves.
For mealworm beetles, this good place is in a pile of wheat bran or flour, which is
the food for the young. Mom doesn't help them after they hatch, but at least she makes
sure they have enough to eat. A female can lay many eggs in one day, and
in her lifetime can lay over 300 eggs! The egg is the first body form in the
life cycle of the mealworm beetle.
 Back to the main page
|
