Experiment+3+-+Dark+vs.+Light

__ Light vs. Dark __ Find out if mealworms and beetles prefer to be in light or dark places. With light shining from above, shade part of the mealworms’ container. Where do the mealworms congregate?

**//Hypothesis://** Mealworms prefer the dark.

**//Prediction://** When placed in a pie plate that has both a shaded area and an area exposed to the light, the mealworms will congregate to the shaded area.

**//Materials://** Small container (e.g. jewelry box), scissors

**//Procedure://** We performed this experiment on three mealworms, as one of the mealworms was in the pupa stage at this time. The mealworms were placed in the center of a container. One side of the container was covered and the other was left open. We held a flashlight directly over the open side of the container for two minutes and observed their behaviour.

**//Controlled variables://** Time (two minutes), start location (center of the box), temperature, location (box)

**//Responding Variables://** Final location of the mealworms (light or dark)

**//Manipulated variable://** Box (half shaded, half open)

**//Observation://** Two out of three mealworms immediately congregated to the covered side of the container, hiding from the light. After one minute and ten seconds, one of two mealworms in the shade came into the uncovered side of the container, but immediately went back into the shaded area after discovering the flashlight.

**//Conclusions/Comments://** In general, mealworms do not appear to like the light. This is consistent with our prediction. This notion is also supported by research; however, due to the fact that the experiment was performed on so few mealworms it is inconclusive. []