# Mealworm (*Tenebrio molitor*)

Canonical page: https://creaturedata.com/animals/mealworm  
Data as of: 2026-11-13

The mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) is an insect in the beetle subgroup, belonging to the family Tenebrionidae in the order Coleoptera. Its scientific name was given by Linnaeus, 1758, and it is placed in the genus Tenebrio, tribe Tenebrionini and subfamily Tenebrioninae. Other English names for it are Yellow mealworm, Mealworm beetle, Common mealworm, Yellow mealworm beetle and Common mealworm beetle.

## Quick facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | Not recorded |
| Length | 1.25 cm – 1.8 cm |
| Lifespan | 0.5 years – 1 year |
| Main food | arthropods |
| Habitat | Not recorded |
| Egg incubation | 4 days – 19 days |
| Young per litter or clutch | Not recorded |
| Reproduction | Eggs |
| Conservation status | Not recorded |
| Countries on record | Not recorded |

## Introduced range

The Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species lists it as introduced in 6 countries, and flagged as invasive in 1 of them. Introduced: Denmark, Estonia, Ireland, Japan, Latvia, Mongolia. Invasive: Latvia. Source: https://griis.org/ (CC BY 4.0).

## Classification

- kingdom: Animalia
- phylum: Arthropoda
- class: Insecta
- order: Coleoptera
- family: Tenebrionidae
- genus: Tenebrio
- species: *Tenebrio molitor* Linnaeus, 1758

## Common questions

### What kind of animal is a mealworm?

The mealworm is an insect in the beetle subgroup, classified in the order Coleoptera.

### What is the scientific name of the mealworm?

The scientific name of the mealworm is Tenebrio molitor.

### Who named Tenebrio molitor and when?

Tenebrio molitor was named by Linnaeus, 1758.

### What family does the mealworm belong to?

The mealworm belongs to the family Tenebrionidae, within the superfamily Tenebrionoidea and subfamily Tenebrioninae.

### What are other names for the mealworm?

Other English names are Yellow mealworm, Mealworm beetle, Common mealworm, Yellow mealworm beetle and Common mealworm beetle.

### How is the mealworm classified?

The mealworm is in kingdom Animalia, phylum Arthropoda, class Insecta, order Coleoptera, suborder Polyphaga, family Tenebrionidae, tribe Tenebrionini and genus Tenebrio.

### Is the mealworm an invasive species?

In some places. The Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species flags the mealworm as invasive in 1 country: Latvia. It lists it as introduced in 6 in all.

## Sources

- [Catalogue of Life eXtended Release](https://www.checklistbank.org/dataset/316691), CC BY 4.0, 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life (2026). Catalogue of Life eXtended Release, version 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgzlf
- [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org), per file (CC0 / public domain / CC BY green, CC BY-SA amber, anything else not displayed), 2026-11-11. Wikimedia Commons contributors. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org (each file credited to its author under its own licence).
- [Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species (GRIIS)](https://griis.org/), CC BY 4.0, 2026-11-13. Pagad, S., Genovesi, P., Carnevali, L., Schigel, D. & McGeoch, M.A. (2018) Introducing the Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species. Scientific Data 5: 170202. https://doi.org/10.1038/sdata.2017.202. Country checklists published through GBIF by the IUCN SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group.
- [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org), CC0 1.0, 2026-11-11. Wikidata contributors. Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org (data retrieved via the Wikidata Query Service).
- [Wikipedia (English)](https://en.wikipedia.org), CC BY-SA 4.0, 2026-11-11. Wikipedia contributors. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org (text under CC BY-SA 4.0; each block names its article and revision).

Cite as: Mealworm (Tenebrio molitor). Retrieved from https://creaturedata.com/animals/mealworm