# Unknown Pupae found in Mealworm tubs.



## Redsquire (Mar 22, 2009)

So I open one of my mealworm tubs today, which was purchased from a local store in Linwood, and I come across these queer little pupae in along with the mealworms.




























Now I'd call myself decently balanced in knowledge of invertebrates as well as reptiles. And I think these are fly pupae. But I can't be sure, and god only knows where the store gets its stock from, so I decided to send these over to the invertebrate threads to see if anyone can ID them for me, or acknowledge that my own opinion may be correct. I'm simply not sure.

I'm not even sure if these are some other invert that the colony companies are putting in with mealworms to eat the shed skins, much in the same respect as they put dermestids in with crickets to eat the dead crickets so they don't smell. The fact of the matter is, I do not know what in gods name these things are - and I've found more empty ones than ones that obviously have something in them. Whether this is due to them hatching, or the mini-mealworms eating them for a source of moisture, I cannot be sure.

It'd be interesting to hear what people think.
'Cos I simply don't know.

Oh, and they aren't dermestid pupae. Trust. Dermestid pupae look a lot like mealworm pupae, only a lot smaller.


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## GRB (Jan 24, 2008)

I was going to say mealworm pupae, but then I forgot they look different, lol. 

Flies or roach pupae perhaps. They kind of look like the eggs sacs from runner roaches, or flies as you posted.


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## Redsquire (Mar 22, 2009)

GRB said:


> I was going to say mealworm pupae, but then I forgot they look different, lol.
> 
> Flies or roach pupae perhaps. They kind of look like the eggs sacs from runner roaches, or flies as you posted.


I've kept some in a seperate container and I intend to leave them alone to see if they hatch. We'll see what becomes of them from then, and Ill probably update this thread with the result.

Would anyone say that this is normal? I've never seen this before, if it's flies. The only "tag alongs" I've had with feeder tubs have tended to be dermestids or oat mite. I'm not sure if I should tell the store about this, or whether its just something that's going to happen every so often, y'know?

EDIT: Actually, sourced.










House Fly pupae, they appear to be. Weird.


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## garlicpickle (Jan 16, 2009)

They are about the right size for greenbottle pupae.


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## Redsquire (Mar 22, 2009)

garlicpickle said:


> They are about the right size for greenbottle pupae.


If they turn out to be native greenbottles I may not destroy them. I love their iridescence and they are very eyecatching as a feeder. I may attempt making a small colony of them and try to produce foldwings or flightless versions, if possible.


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