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To find gender turn your mealworm on its back, or dorsal, side to get a clear view of its legs. You will see three pairs of legs. One end of the mealworm will be close to the legs. This is the mealworm's head. The other end is the mealworm's tail.

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Keep the mealworm on it's back so that you can observe the belly, or ventral side. You want to identify the segments, which are referred to as sternites. Since the body is only about an inch long, a microscope or magnifying glass will help you clearly see the tiny sternites.

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Count down seven sternites beginning at the head of the mealworm.

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Look for swelling just below the seventh sternite. Female mealworms have large swelling in this area along with two protruding nipples referred to as papillae. The best way to determine if the mealworm is a male is to observe the absence of the swelling and protruding nipples.

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14y ago

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