Day 1:
January 15, 2014
7 larvae that are approximately 16 mm in length
Week One:
-7 mealworms (larval stage)
-all beige/hard exoskeleton
- approximately 16 mm
- We gave them an apple chunk and wheat bran
-On Day 5 we gave them another apple chunk, a couple of pieces of carrot, some cheerios (did not seem to like the cheerios), and some clementines (did not like the clementines)
Week Two:
- 2 exoskeletons (one of the shedded mealworms has a dark spot on its side)
- We pushed all the wheat bran to the back so they could burrow.
- Seem lethargic in the light…
- If we block the light over the mealworms and move our hand, they follow the shade.
Week Three:
- We gave them some oatmeal (they took some time but then responded well to it)
- There is at least 7 exoskeletons now
*Notable observation: we watched the one molt to become a pupa! It took about 10 minutes to completely shed its exoskeleton (white, slightly shorter than before, fatter. Not moving much, seems to be outside down)
- We tried to see if they would react to sound, and they did not react.
- End of week three: all but one has shed its exoskeleton
January 15, 2014
7 larvae that are approximately 16 mm in length
Week One:
-7 mealworms (larval stage)
-all beige/hard exoskeleton
- approximately 16 mm
- We gave them an apple chunk and wheat bran
-On Day 5 we gave them another apple chunk, a couple of pieces of carrot, some cheerios (did not seem to like the cheerios), and some clementines (did not like the clementines)
Week Two:
- 2 exoskeletons (one of the shedded mealworms has a dark spot on its side)
- We pushed all the wheat bran to the back so they could burrow.
- Seem lethargic in the light…
- If we block the light over the mealworms and move our hand, they follow the shade.
Week Three:
- We gave them some oatmeal (they took some time but then responded well to it)
- There is at least 7 exoskeletons now
*Notable observation: we watched the one molt to become a pupa! It took about 10 minutes to completely shed its exoskeleton (white, slightly shorter than before, fatter. Not moving much, seems to be outside down)
- We tried to see if they would react to sound, and they did not react.
- End of week three: all but one has shed its exoskeleton
Week Four:
- Monday: one pupa has changed into a beetle! (it is dark brown)
- Wednesday: another change into a beetle very recently (white colour)
- Thursday: now there are two brown beetles (one from yesterday has turned brown)
- Friday: we now have three brown beetles, 3 pupae and one worm.
- Monday: one pupa has changed into a beetle! (it is dark brown)
- Wednesday: another change into a beetle very recently (white colour)
- Thursday: now there are two brown beetles (one from yesterday has turned brown)
- Friday: we now have three brown beetles, 3 pupae and one worm.
Week Five:
- We still have 3 beetles, 3 pupae and one worm…will they ever change?
- The beetles seem to like the oatmeal!
- We still have 3 beetles, 3 pupae and one worm…will they ever change?
- The beetles seem to like the oatmeal!
Week Six:
Eureka! The three pupae finally changed into beetles! But, we still have one worm who does not seem to want to change at all! One beetle is moving quite slowly. We think he may have been injured by another beetle or that he is just dying.
Eureka! The three pupae finally changed into beetles! But, we still have one worm who does not seem to want to change at all! One beetle is moving quite slowly. We think he may have been injured by another beetle or that he is just dying.
Below please find a slideshow featuring our observations over the first three weeks.
Below, please find a video of the transformation we observed in Week Three.
A pupa became a beetle in front of our eyes!
A pupa became a beetle in front of our eyes!