# How long do darkling beetles live?



## carolineg (Nov 30, 2009)

Just wondering, once mealworms have turned into darkling beetles, how long do they generally live and how big do they get?


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## jools (Apr 4, 2009)

Once they have turned into beetles they don't actually grow any more. How long they live will depend what temps they are kept at - but mine seem to live for weeks!


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## carolineg (Nov 30, 2009)

I've just discovered two beetles in the tank I used to keep my leos in a few months ago. I'm guessing there must have been a couple of mealworms in there under the folded up kitchen towel and they're now beetles! They're horrible!! I have major major issues with beetles though, so I can't catch them and get rid of them! I did google it and answers I got varied from 5-10 days to 6 months! I shall have to find a way to deal with them in the morning =/


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## hayleyb24 (Dec 18, 2009)

mine have been a live for a few weeks


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## SteveCourty (Oct 4, 2009)

A month or so. Ive had some in pots that have just died but been about for quite some time!


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## carolineg (Nov 30, 2009)

Hopefully they'll die soon so I can get rid of them!


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## SteveCourty (Oct 4, 2009)

Some things eat them


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## Sarracenia (Mar 20, 2008)

Poor things... I always think of Meal Beetles as cute. :whistling2:

Just put them in a dry box with Mealie flakes and bran/cereal flakes, and you should get baby mealies. At least then the adults are being put to some use.


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## carolineg (Nov 30, 2009)

Sarracenia said:


> Poor things... I always think of Meal Beetles as cute. :whistling2:
> 
> Just put them in a dry box with Mealie flakes and bran/cereal flakes, and you should get baby mealies. At least then the adults are being put to some use.


No chance! I hate beetles and have major issues with them, completely freak me out, so I don't want to breed them lol And how on earth can you think they're cute?!


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## Kristen2017 (Oct 10, 2017)

jools said:


> Once they have turned into beetles they don't actually grow any more. How long they live will depend what temps they are kept at - but mine seem to live for weeks!


Just weeks? That's not long! I don't know how long they are meant to live for (that's why I just googled it) but mine has been alive for over 3 months as a beetle so far. My son got given a meal worm at school and I thought it was gross when it turned into a beetle as I don't like beetles but I quite like him now. Lol.


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