MEALWORMS
FIGHTING MEALWORMS
Food contaminated with nasty maggots? Your pantry infested with these disgusting bugs? Gastrointestinal problems?
If you have serious pest problems, we are your solution! As AKL Exterminator, we are the best mealworm and other pest control company!
COMBAT MEALWORMS WITH AKL EXTERMINATEUR
There’s nothing more frightening and disgusting than finding worms on your own property! Mealworms, as Tenebrio molitor is commonly known, are one of the most repulsive household pests. These worms, although they do not transmit diseases, can cause you a lot of discomfort.
First of all, they contaminate all the food they touch, causing many losses in your food. And in addition to their disgusting appearance, they can damage and stain the surfaces where they are found, or in the worst case, clog any pipes or heating in the infested area.
Generally, this pest is the result of poor sanitation, and in situations of ingestion, they can cause gastrointestinal problems. Fortunately, the jaws of these animals are not poisonous or serious, and they won’t try to eat you either. Thank goodness!
If you have any complications in your property due to this annoying pest, what are you waiting for to call us! At AKL Exterminateur, we have the experience, the best equipment, the most effective products and the most qualified exterminators in Quebec to eradicate mealworms.
And if you want to learn more about this household pest, you’re in the right place! Let’s then take a look at everything you need to know about the behavior, habits, infestation patterns and measures to combat mealworms.
At AKL Exterminateur our priority is to control any insects and rodents to bring back well-being and tranquility for you and your loved ones!
MEALWORMS DATA SHEET
Mealworms are a species of darkling beetle with the scientific name Tenebrio molitor. The larvae measure 1 to 2 cm, while adult beetles are 2 to 3 cm in size with their pair of antennae, two pairs of wings and three-part thorax.
People call both the larval and mature forms of this insect mealworms, but they are different depending on the stage. When they are caterpillars, they have a cylindrical shape, yellow coloration and brown rings that segment their bodies. As they grow, these larvae become stronger and more resistant.
WHAT DO MEALWORMS EAT?
The diet of these animals is varied, but they are essentially omnivores and scavengers par excellence. They feed on decaying organic matter, but also like fruits, vegetables and proteins. They can even eat their larval conspecifics and other dead insects.
They can eat anything that is waste and moldy food. But their nickname of mealworms comes precisely because they feed on flour, oats and other products such as grains and cereals (ground or not) that are stored in pantries or cupboards.
LIFE AND REPRODUCTIVE CYCLE OF MEALWORMS
Mealworms can live up to four months or more under favorable conditions, they go through several stages: as eggs, larvae, pulps and adults. When the larvae mature and hatch, within a few days the males seek to impregnate the females to reproduce.
Females can lay up to 300 eggs! This insect constantly struggles to finally emerge as a beetle. Complete metamorphosis can be enhanced by ideal temperatures and lack of predators.
WHERE ARE MEALWORMS FOUND?
You can find these nasty animals in dark, damp and warm places, near sources of food or waste. Outdoors they usually hide under rocks, logs or where there is a lot of solid waste.
Indoors, they usually appear in dumpsters, waste piles, forgotten boxes, pantries, barns, warehouses and cupboards with a lack of hygiene. Moisture, mold and unkempt environments are the perfect habitat for these worms.
Even inside bags or packages of flour and grains can become ideal niches for these nasty pests. These animals are attracted to accessible food sources, places without regular cleaning and dirty environments, perfect for stimulating their growth.
HOW TO DETECT THE SIGNS OF THEIR PRESENCE?
Identifying these nasty intruders is simple, as you can find them in damp environments and storage areas for your supplies, grains and processed flours. You will notice that the bags or bins where you store your supplies are leaky and have some sort of residue on them.
The larvae leave traces that dry up when they spend a long time in the same area. You can also find the remains of dead larvae that did not survive with a characteristic black color, or the shells of larvae that did hatch. Larval molting is the most obvious sign.
Eventually, when you look at your bags and packages, you’ll see them sitting there next to the contaminated food. Or in severe cases, you’ll see them in corners of your property where they tend to pile up. Disgusting!
Although mealworms are not a potentially lethal pest, they can cause many health problems, especially if you are afraid of larvae or dirty environments.
If you want to get the best products to eliminate the nasty mealworms in their larval and adult stage, you can find them on our website!AKL Exterminateur offers you a select catalog with the most effective pesticides on the market, don’t hesitate to check our online store by clicking here!
HOW TO ERADICATE A MEALWORM INFESTATION?
Therefore, as AKL Exterminateur, we will provide you here with some very useful combative measures and recommendations to get rid of these annoying worms:
- First, you must thoroughly sanitize your property, eliminating all sources of spoiled food and breeding sites, such as dark, damp and musty rooms. Often old produce, contaminated food or forgotten bait can be the source of the problem.
- If you find mealworms in cupboards and cabinets, remove all boxes and drawers. Vacuum them out without hesitation and then seal them in a plastic bag for disposal. Remember to keep them tightly covered so they don’t come out and reinfest.
- You can heat packaging, bags and packages of food and flour that you think are contaminated to extreme temperatures to kill the larvae and eggs. Or, you can freeze them.
- Place pheromone traps or apply pesticides for these worms in areas where you store your supplies. Trays of sticky substances with ingredients that will attract worms are usually very effective. Or sprays will eliminate them over time.
DID YOU KNOW?
Believe it or not, mealworms can be found in stores and other distributors of products such as bait for fishing or packaged to feed other animals (such as reptiles and birds). They are sometimes marketed in bulk and often come in packages combined with hormones.
And there are people who eat them too! Mealworms have a proven nutritional benefit. In fact, at equal mass, there is as much protein in mealworms as there is in beef. They have also been found to contain many nutrients and vitamins.
So one day, don’t be surprised if you come across a business that offers you a burger made of larvae of these worms or some other dish! In addition, their breeding is very easy, since they can feed on fresh oats, wheat, vegetable and fruit waste.
