darkling beetle
noun
: any of a family (Tenebrionidae) of firm-bodied, mostly dark-colored, nocturnal beetles that feed on vegetation and often have vestigial and functionless wings and whose larvae are usually hard, cylindrical worms (such as a mealworm)
called also tenebrionid
Examples of darkling beetle in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This particular beetle is a type of darkling beetle.
—
IEEE Spectrum, 28 Nov. 2017
In a paper released last week in the journal of Microbial Genomics, scientists from the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, showed that the larvae of a darkling beetle, called zophobas morio, can survive solely on polystyrene, commonly called Styrofoam.
—Pranshu Verma, Washington Post, 17 June 2022
The Dew Bank, which collects and stores condensation, was inspired by the darkling beetle.
—Jay Harman, Discover Magazine, 29 Apr. 2013
Pelagic fish with ultra-black skin can hide in plain sight, and darkling beetle larvae can digest polystyrene.
—Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 15 Sep. 2020
The scientists found, for example, that darkling beetle larvae, commonly reported to be 58 to 65 percent protein, are only 49 percent.
—Marta Zaraska, Discover Magazine, 13 Mar. 2019
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IEEE Spectrum, 28 Nov. 2017
In a paper released last week in the journal of Microbial Genomics, scientists from the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, showed that the larvae of a darkling beetle, called zophobas morio, can survive solely on polystyrene, commonly called Styrofoam.
—Pranshu Verma, Washington Post, 17 June 2022
The Dew Bank, which collects and stores condensation, was inspired by the darkling beetle.
—Jay Harman, Discover Magazine, 29 Apr. 2013
Pelagic fish with ultra-black skin can hide in plain sight, and darkling beetle larvae can digest polystyrene.
—Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 15 Sep. 2020
The scientists found, for example, that darkling beetle larvae, commonly reported to be 58 to 65 percent protein, are only 49 percent.
—Marta Zaraska, Discover Magazine, 13 Mar. 2019
Cite this Entry
“Darkling beetle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/darkling%20beetle. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
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