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Parental Care: when one or both parents take care of the young.

Beetles Egg Laying

Eggs
A cluster of mealworm beetle eggs laid on the bottom of a plastic dish.

There is very little parental care in the mealworm beetle 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.

Read more about: How Do Beetles Reproduce?
You may need to edit author's name to meet the style formats, which are in most cases "Last name, First name."
https://askabiologist.asu.edu/egg-laying

Bibliographic details:

  • Article: Egg Laying
  • Author(s): Dr. Biology
  • Publisher: Arizona State University School of Life Sciences Ask A Biologist
  • Site name: ASU - Ask A Biologist
  • Date published: 17 Dec, 2009
  • Date accessed:
  • Link: https://askabiologist.asu.edu/egg-laying

APA Style

Dr. Biology. (Thu, 12/17/2009 - 15:21). Egg Laying. ASU - Ask A Biologist. Retrieved from https://askabiologist.asu.edu/egg-laying

American Psychological Association. For more info, see http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/10/

Chicago Manual of Style

Dr. Biology. "Egg Laying". ASU - Ask A Biologist. 17 Dec 2009. https://askabiologist.asu.edu/egg-laying

MLA 2017 Style

Dr. Biology. "Egg Laying". ASU - Ask A Biologist. 17 Dec 2009. ASU - Ask A Biologist, Web. https://askabiologist.asu.edu/egg-laying

Modern Language Association, 7th Ed. For more info, see http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/08/
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