Tenebrio molitor
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~30%
Mealworms are the larval form of the yellow mealworm beetle, Tenebrio molitor, a species of darkling beetle. The yellow mealworm beetle prefers a warmer climate and higher humidity. Male mealworm beetles release a sex pheromone to attract females to mate.
Tenebrio molitor has been used in biomedical research. Mealworms can be a dietary source for animals and humans. They are also considered pests, especially to food storage. Like all holometabolic insects, T. molitor goes through four life stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Larvae typically measure about 2.5 centimetres (0.98 in) or more. Adults are generally 1.25 to 1.8 centimetres (0.49 to 0.71 in) in length.
T. molitor is dark brown or black as an adult, with larvae up to 1.25 inches (3.2 cm) long and adults up to 0.75 inches (1.9 cm) long. The yellow mealworm beetle can be differentiated from other beetles, due to the linear grooves that are evenly divided and run along the abdomen. The beetle has only four tarsal segments on its hind legs. Most ground beetles, which are similar in size to Tenebrio molitor, have five tarsal segments.
Commonly mistaken with the black mealworm beetle (T. obscurus), key variations... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Helsinki | 🇫🇮 Finland | |
| 2 | Kyiv | 🇺🇦 Ukraine | |
| 3 | Kazan | 🇷🇺 Russia | |
| 4 | Edmonton | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 5 | Yekaterinburg | 🇷🇺 Russia | |
| 6 | Saint Petersburg | 🇷🇺 Russia | |
| 7 | Moscow | 🇷🇺 Russia | |
| 8 | Minneapolis [Saint Paul] | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Yellow Mealworm Beetle sighting in Kyiv on a given day, based on 16 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 324th most-seen of the 753 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
June–July and September
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Yellow Mealworm Beetle in Kyiv on a given day, against under 5% in August and October–May, the lowest months.
Among the best
Of the 8 cities where we can rate Yellow Mealworm Beetle sightings, Kyiv ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Helsinki (Finland, about 10%).
Same family: Tenebrionidae
The closest relatives of the Yellow Mealworm Beetle that you can see in Kyiv (family Tenebrionidae, Darkling Beetles) are Sulphur Beetle (about 10%), Diaperis boleti (about 10%) and Opatrum sabulosum (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Yellow Mealworm Beetle is recorded against all the insects logged in Kyiv (16 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
