Insects · Coleoptera · Scarabaeidae

Hercules Beetle

Dynastes hercules

Not Evaluated

It has not yet been assessed against the IUCN criteria. See full glossary

The Hercules beetle is a scarabaeid beetle, one of the rhinoceros beetles. It lives in the tropical forests, rainforests and equatorial forests of Central and South America. It is one of the largest beetles in existence, since males can reach a total length of more than 17 cm, including their long thoracic horn. It is the largest of the six known species of the genus Dynastes, and only two beetles are larger: Macrodontia cervicornis and Titanus giganteus.

Weight

up to 34 g

Size

up to 18 cm

Lifespan

3 years

Diet

Herbivore

Feeds mainly on plants.

Activity

Nocturnal

Active mainly at night.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Unknown

RainforestHerbivore Nocturnal Solitary Insect Rainforest

22countries 73parks8same family

Fun facts

récordIt can lift objects several times its own body weight, one of the highest strength-to-weight ratios recorded in any animal.
It is one of the largest beetles in the world: males reach 18 cm counting the horns, while females stay at about 6 cm and have no horns.
The elytra change colour with humidity: they are yellow or olive when it is dry and black when humidity is high, because water fills pores in the cuticle and changes the refractive index.
The larva can reach 11 cm and weigh more than 100 g, and spends one to two years feeding on rotten wood before pupating.
The size of the male's horn depends on how well he fed as a larva, so there are major and minor males.
It hisses by rubbing its abdomen against the elytra to warn off predators.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Invertebrate - chitin exoskeleton (insect)
Habitat & environment: Tropical rainforest and montane forest of Central and South America; the larvae live in rotting wood and the adults shelter among fallen trunks and leaf litter
Sexual maturity: Between 15 and 22 months old
Gestation / incubation: The eggs incubate for about 28 days
Litter / clutch size: Up to 100 eggs per clutch

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynastes_hercules