Mealworms are the larvae of the darkling beetle, also known as Tenebrio molitor. The darkling beetle is a holometabolic insect, meaning it has four life-stages: egg, larva, pupa and adult. The mealworm is a darkling beetle in larva form, where it remains for 90 to 114 days, before turning into a pupa.

Mealworms are hatched from white, bean-shaped eggs that are 1/20 of an inch (1.27 mm) in length. When they are first born, the larvae are white, but will turn either honey-yellow or yellow-brown within a couple days. The mealworm, when mature, will measure 1.25 inches (3.18 cm) long. Their bodies are smooth and hard, with a shiny appearance.

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