Superworm Beetle

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Subject:  What kind of beetle is this?
Geographic location of the bug:  Spring, Texas
Date: 09/11/2017
Time: 08:29 AM EDT
Found this guy upstairs in our house. Wondering what it is? Want to release him back into the wild. Should I be worried there are more in my house?
How you want your letter signed:  Krissi

Darkling Beetle is adult Superworm

Dear Krissi,
We are pretty confident telling you this Beetle will not harm your home nor its occupants, though we are having a difficult time identifying it.  Though it resembles a beneficial, predatory Ground Beetle, the antennae seem entirely too serrated to be a member of that family.  The antennae remind us most of a Longhorn Beetle in the family Cerambycidae, but we don’t believe that is correct either.  We suspect this is a Darkling Beetle in the family Tenebrionidae, but we have not been able to identify the genus nor species.  We are going to contact Arthur Evans and Eric Eaton to seek assistance.

Hi again Krissi,
Does anyone in your home have a pet that requires worms from the pet store?  See Arthur Evans identification below.

Arthur Evans identifies the Superworm Beetle
It looks like this to me: http://bugguide.net/node/view/132236

Eric Eaton Concurs
I would agree with Art.
Eric
author, Kaufman Field Guide to Insects of North America
http://bugeric.blogspot.com/

According to BugGuide:  “Other Common Names Superworm (larva)” and “The larvae (superworms) are often sold as pet food.”

 

We have a bearded dragon. She eats superworms. But we don’t buy them At the pet store, we have a lady that sells just worms and roaches.
I just saw the below about superworms. So one got out and hatched?!? Ack. Ok thank you!!!
That explains it.  A Superworm that did not get eaten must have pupated and emerged.

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