Flour beetles

Flour beetles are members of the  Tribolium or Tenebrio. They are pests of s and are widely used as s, as they are easy to keep. The flour beetles consume wheat and other grains, are adapted to survive in very dry environments, and can withstand even higher amounts of radiation than cockroaches. They are a major pest in the agricultural industry and are highly resistant to.

The e of T. molitor, when full-grown, are known as s; small specimens and the larvae of the other species are called mini mealworms.

Flour beetles are part of the life cycle of the tapeworm , which causes in humans. Female reproduction is distributed over their adult life-span which lasts about a year. Flour beetles also display pre-mating discrimination among potential mates. Female flour beetles, specifically of T. castaneum, can mate with different males and may choose more attractive males over the course of their adult life-span.

Selected species

 *  – red flour beetle
 *  – confused flour beetle
 *  – destructive flour beetle
 *  – mealworm beetle
 *  – dark mealworm beetle

Research
In 2008, the Tribolium castaneum was sequenced by the Tribolium Genome Sequencing Consortium.