The
mealworm is a worm-like larva with a hard exoskeleton. Its body is designed to
burrow, eat, and store fat. There are three distinct sections which are the
head, thorax, and abdomen.
Head
The head
of the mealworm has the mouth and labrum, a lip-like mouth part, to aid in its
voracious eating habits. The mouth and its parts are quite small and designed
to eat small pieces of food.
There is
also a pair of antennae and larval eyes. The antennae act as feelers for the
worm as it digs in search of food. The eyes are small and poorly developed due
to the insect’s burrowing nature.
Thorax
The
thorax consists of three segments called the prothorax, mesothorax, and
metathorax. Each segment has a pair of short legs. A mealworm doesn’t walk very
well, but its legs and claws are perfectly suited for burrowing.
Abdomen
The abdomen has nine segments with the last
segment containing the anus and a spine. The abdomen contains the digestive
tract and stores lots of fat from all the food the mealworm eats. This fat will
eventually be used for the worm’s transformation into a pupa and then a beetle.