Some of you disputed my post on the ugly dolphin. Fair enough. So, I thought I'd cleanse the palate by falling back on some insects. Mantis versus mealworm, anyone?
Mealworms are the larvae of Tenebrio molitor, a species of darkling beetle. The adult form is actually shorter in length than the larval form. Mealworms are most used for feed for captive reptiles and birds, and, evidently, mantids. This mealworm doesn't seem to be aware of the danger looming over it. Ignorance is bliss.
Thanks for the photo, Igor Siwanowicz.
Aug 14, 2008
Mantis vs. Mealworm
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6 comments:
Anything that pulsates and is shiny is not cute for me. So...
Mealworm = ICK and
Mantis = CUTE, awesome, neat, etc.
I love mantis pictures! ^_^
*Insert theme from "Jaws" here...*
--TwoDragons
All the animals you post on this site are cute, not the just the dolphin! (well...maybe not that dead racoon..) This is my daily ad-on to my cute exposure after cuteoverload :D...
Matis's are cool! However, I'm far to chicken to touch one. Their kung-fu fools me every time. Meal worms too, are gross because how smooth/slippery they are. I had to feed them to my hedgehog with tweezers (also because her vision was terrible and she mistook fingers as mealworms on occasion)
I feed my bearded dragon crickets and feel sorry for them, especially when they chirp at night! There! I confessed!
Might switch to meal worms now though. I don't think I could feel sorry for one of those.
Well, the only thing I see wrong here is that the mealworm in the photo with the mantis is not a regular mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) but is a young Superworm (Zophobas Morio) not quite up to it's adult size. Superworms are a type of Darkling Beetle, but not the normal mealworm darkling beetle. While organic forms of the regular mealworm (not hormone induced Giants for fishing) reach a size of approx. 1" in length and the girth of a cooked spaghetti noodle before pupating, Superworm larvae can reach a whopping 2 1/4" in length and the girth of a pencil... But, I still think the mantis could take the superworm on anyday!
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