Peculiarities of reproduction and behavior of the Hercules beetle

Some insects are amazing in size. The Hercules beetle is a giant. Body length reaches 15-18 cm. Lives in the tropics. This is one of the largest beetles on the planet. Color yellow or olive. A characteristic shine is also observed. The insect's body is covered with small red hairs. The male and female are different from each other and can be distinguished if desired. Females lack one characteristic feature - horns. Hercules is an endangered species and the insect is protected. You can easily recognize a representative by its characteristic features.

One of the exotic beetles is the Hercules beetle

What are the primary features

The Hercules beetle is a representative of the lamellar beetle family. The insect is included in the genus Duplyakov. These individuals are the largest. They have characteristic growths on the head. Insects have a small head. The antennae are composed of 9 segments. At the end there is a mace. The genus includes 300 representatives. Related individuals of Hercules include:

• scarab;
• rhinoceros beetle;
• elephant beetle.

Males have a body size of up to 15 cm, less often - 18 cm. Females are smaller. The body is black and covered with red hairs. The front wings were transformed into dense elytra.

The color of an insect directly depends on environmental conditions, namely humidity. The main color is olive, brown or yellow. As an addition, there are dark spots of different sizes and locations.

The rhinoceros beetle is one of the related species

Some individuals may have a blue tint to the elytra. At the adult stage, the insect can instantly change color. This feature has interested many scientists. This ability is quite rare.

The hind wings of the insect did not atrophy. Hercules can withstand short distance flights. The beetle's legs are long. Thanks to this, the representative easily climbs trees and bushes. The front legs are digging.

The wingspan is 23 cm. Each insect weighs 100-110 grams. Beetles often have a matte surface.

Each beetle goes through 4 stages:

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• egg;
• chrysalis;
• worm;
• adult beetle.

The larva is helpless. The caterpillar's enemies are ants, ground beetles, and centipedes. The most dangerous predator is the bat.

Caterpillars are often attacked by wasps. The insect stings the larva, thereby paralyzing it, and lays eggs on the body. The caterpillar is a delicacy for wild boars. The animal finds larvae in rotten trees.

This beetle has a rather large larva

Taxonomy

An 8 cm long female Hercules beetle from Costa Rica.

Female Dynastes hercules lichyi

Male Dynastes hercules lichyi

The species includes several subspecies. It is worth pointing out that according to the publication of Huang, 2022, all subspecies were assigned independent species status

• Dynastes hercules baudrii Pinchon, 1976 Habitat: Martinique Island - in the Caribbean Sea, in the central part of the Lesser Antilles archipelago.
• Male length: 50~100mm; females 45~55 mm.

• Dynastes hercules bleuzeni Silvestre et Dechambre, 1995 Habitat: Venezuela
• Male length: 55~155mm; females: 45~75 mm.

• Dynastes hercules ecuatorianus Ohaus, 1913 Habitat: Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela
• Male length: 55~165mm; females: 50~80 mm.

• Dynastes hercules hercules Linnaeus, 1753 Habitat: Guadeloupe, Dominican Republic
• Male length: 45~171 (max: 178 mm?); females: 50~80 mm

• Dynastes hercules lichyi Lachaume, 1985 Habitat: western Venezuela, central mountain range of Colombia, central mountain range of Ecuador, Peru, Northern Bolivia
• Male length: 55~160mm; females: 50~80 mm.

• Dynastes hercules morishimai Nagai, 2002 Habitat: Bolivia
• Male length: 55~140mm; females: 50~75 mm.

• Dynastes hercules occidentalis Lachaume, 1985 Habitat: Colombia, Ecuador, Panama
• Male length: 55~145mm; females: 50~80 mm.

• Dynastes hercules paschoali Grossi et Arnaud, 1993 Habitat: Brazil
• Male length: 55~140mm; females: 50~70 mm.

• Dynastes hercules reidi Chalumeau, 1977 Habitat: St. Island Lucia
• Male length: 50~110mm; females: 50~65 mm.

• Dynastes hercules septentrionalis Lachaume, 1985 Habitat: Mexico, Belize, Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama
• Male length: 55~150mm; females: 50~75 mm.

• Dynastes hercules takakuwai Nagai, 2002 Habitat: Brazil
• Male length: 55~140mm; females: 50~75 mm.

• Dynastes hercules trinidadensis Chalumeau et Reid, 1995 Habitat: Trinidad, Tobago
• Male length: 55~140mm; females: 50~75 mm.

• Dynastes hercules tuxtlaensis Moron, 1993 Habitat: Mexico
• Male length: 55~110mm; females: 50~65 mm.

What is the difference between a female and a male

The male is clearly different from the female. You can recognize a male or female even without specific knowledge. The main features are described in the table.

The size of the horn directly depends on nutrition and quality of life. The better the beetle lives, the larger the growth on its head. The insect uses horns for protection. A blow from such a growth may be the last for another insect, as it will lead to instant death.

Gender Differences

Hercules are beetles with pronounced sexual dimorphism. The appearance of female and male individuals is so different that, out of ignorance, they can be mistaken for different species.

Female Hercules are much smaller in size and reach a length of only 4 to 7-8 centimeters. They have a neat oval body and a small rounded head, devoid of any growths. The elytra are covered with small tubercles and sparse brown hairs. The color matches that of the males, but not as shiny.

Among collectors and exotic lovers, it is the males that are more valued. Two impressive horns extend from their head, located one above the other, forming a kind of jaw. The upper horn is pointed at the end and has one tooth in the middle. Its inner surface is densely covered with bristles of red hairs. The lower horn is shorter and turned towards the upper one. It is equipped with two prongs and a small hook at the end.

The horns of beetles are an important part of the body. They help drive away and intimidate enemies, as well as fight for the lady during the mating season. The one whose horns turn out to be bigger and stronger will remain the winner and will be able to create offspring.

What are the features of the larvae and where does it live?

The beetle larva is large in size. The body is soft. There is sparse hair growth. Immediately after hatching the body is white. Before pupation, the caterpillar is yellow.

The head of the larva is black. Textured surface. The body has 12 segmental areas. The anus looks like a cross section. The larva has a gnawing type mouth opening. The upper part is triangular. There are 2 large teeth on the inner edge. The caterpillar stage lasts several years.

The insect chooses tropical climates. Distributed in Mexican forests. It's hard not to notice such a giant when you meet him.

What kind of food

It is believed that the better the insect's nutrition, the larger the male's horn will be. The beetle prefers rotten fruit. The giant may not leave one fruit until he has eaten everything possible.

The beetle needs plant food

Often the insect takes fruit from the ground, but if necessary, the beetle climbs a tree. This is due to the presence of large paws. The insect flies when food is needed. In other cases, the beetle prefers not to use its wings.

What are the features of reproduction?

The insect uses its horns when fighting contenders for a female. This happens during the mating season. It is believed that the longer the growth of a male, the greater his chances of creating new offspring.

Reproduction begins in spring. The mating season is possible only after leaving the soil. To attract males, the female releases a special chemical, which is a kind of pheromone.

Each female attracts several males at once. Battles between challengers are not lethal, but can result in significant injury to the weaker individual. The winner is the beetle that turns the other one over on its back. After mating, the female lays 50 eggs. The masonry is localized in the bark of old trees. The larvae will hatch only after a month.

Females always lay eggs in one place until the wood is completely destroyed. The final transformation of the caterpillar takes place deep underground.

Life cycle

After fierce fights for the right to own the female, the winner impregnates her. After some time, the female climbs into the bark of a rotten tree and lays eggs. During her short life, she is capable of laying up to 100 of them. After about a month, the larvae hatch and feed on wood fibers and rotten wood. Over the course of 2 years, the larva molts three times, greatly gaining weight and height, and by the time of pupation it can reach a length of 18 cm and can weigh 100 g. Having passed through the prepupa phase, the larva pupates, and after about 6 weeks a young Hercules beetle appears, whose lifespan is is about 10 months.

What behavioral features

Beetles are predominantly nocturnal. They rarely use wings and only when necessary to find food. During the day, Hercules is in its shelter, which consists of fallen leaves, snags and plants. The insect's diet includes fruits and berries. The beetle also loves plant sap, which is obtained through damage to the wood.

With the help of its wings, the beetle makes a loud sound similar to a cracking sound.

To protect itself from enemies, the insect creates a special sound that resembles a crackling sound. The specific method of repelling is due to the friction of the back of the elytra against the abdomen.

Insects love artificial light. They prefer to be near lamps at night, especially in rainy or foggy weather. When flying, the insect creates a kind of loud hum.

Description of the plant

Fescue (Festuca) is a genus of perennial cereal grasses that are used to decorate lawns and lawns of parks throughout the Northern Hemisphere, and not just in Russia. In the wild, the plant grows in meadows and forest edges, where it forms peculiar clusters with many straight stems.

Red fescue (Festuca rubra) is one of the species of this genus. It is used as lawn grass. Typically, the crop grows on meadow slopes and embankments, often rich in other types of vegetation. The base of its stem is covered with short white hairs, and numerous underground rhizomes form a dense, attractive turf 10–15 cm high.

Did you know? Fescue, like other cereals, can be affected by ergot, which releases alkaloids that are toxic to living beings. In this case, it becomes dangerous for mares due to the risk of death of the offspring.

Botanical description:

• leaves: thread-like, narrowly sinuous, rough along the edges and veins, 3–15 cm long, 0.4–0.6 mm wide;
• inflorescence: this is a dense, one-sided, ovoid, dark purple or purple-brown panicle 1–2 cm long, occupying less than 1/4 of the length of the stem;
• flowers: loose, short, rough, on a long stalk, have a sinuous spine;
• reproduces: by seeds, root shoots.

Fescue is used as a lawn or pasture grass because it is a genus that contains more than 100 individual plants. It is considered one of the most nutritious for animals and abundantly growing herbs, which will easily germinate even in wasteland or uncultivated areas in mining areas, therefore it is considered valuable in the fight against soil erosion.

Features of growing grass:

• application: lawn grass;
• growing features: grows slowly, forms a neat, dense lawn;
• soil type: chalk, clay, loam, sandy soils;
• drainage: soil is moist but well drained;
• acidity level: neutral or sour;
• lighting: sun or partial shade;
• winter hardiness zones: 5–9 (minimum winter temperature -29°C).

Red fescue is a perennial loose-bush plant with a winter development type, producing creeping rhizomes on light soils. The height of this grass is usually from 20 to 70 cm. The stems are straight, rough or smooth, and can rise at the base.

It can often be found in natural meadows. Red fescue blooms in late spring - early summer.

The photo shows red fescue

Benefits of fescue:

• smooth, attractive lawn;
• high resistance to frost;
• low cost;
• good tolerance to low mowing;
• good tolerance to mechanical damage to the lawn (it recovers quickly).

What are some interesting facts?

There are several interesting facts associated with the beetle. The insect received its name in honor of the ancient Greek hero. The giant is known for being able to lift objects weighing 800 times heavier than the Hercules itself. Therefore, this beetle was often used as a kind of entertainment.

The insect was sent to fight with a scorpion. Most often it was Hercules who won.

Another interesting fact is that an insect can instantly change the color of its wing covers. This interested scientists from different parts of the world.

Some hobbyists breed insects in order to increase the population size. A pair of medium-sized beetles will cost $300-500. The price directly depends on the size, color and other characteristic features.

This video will show the stages of development of the Hercules beetle:

Notes

1. Striganova B. R., Zakharov A. A.
   Five-language dictionary of animal names: Insects (Latin-Russian-English-German-French) / . - M.: RUSSO, 2000. - P. 116. - 1060 copies. — ISBN 5-88721-162-8.
2. ↑ Yukio Yaznda & Shuji Okejima “Kafer der Welt”, 1990, 126 pages, 700 col illus
3. Hercules or Hercules beetle // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg, 1890-1907.
4. Endrödi S. The Dynastinae of the World. - Hague: Dr.W.Junk Publishers, 1985. - 828 p.
5. Yukio Yaznda, Shuji Okejima. Kafer der Welt, 1990 - 126 p.
6. Huang J.-P. The hercules beetles (subgenus Dynastes, genus Dynastes, Dynastidae): a revisionary study based on the integration of molecular, morphological, ecological, and geographic analyzes (English) // Miscellaneous publications (University of Michigan. Museum of Zoology: journal. - 2022. - Vol. 206. - P. 1-31.

What are the features of growing

Keeping beetles at home requires following all recommendations. Only under favorable conditions will the insect feel good and reproduce.

The temperature in the terrarium should be between 20-25 degrees. If the conditions are met, the weight of the larva reaches 100-130 grams. Do not touch adults after emerging from the cocoon for the first 30-40 days. The insect should be fed with overripe fruits.

Keeping beetles is not easy. You need to have a set of knowledge to create new and healthy offspring. It is better to place beetles in a specialized glass container. Soil is placed on the lower part.

Hercules beetle: keeping at home

The beetle will be an excellent pet, because it is not dangerous, the insect can be safely picked up.

For a pair of beetles or a male and two females, you need a container measuring 50x50x100 cm. The optimal temperature in the insectarium is +20-25°C, and humidity is 70%. No additional lighting is needed. There is no need to add additional heat sources.

It is important to maintain optimal conditions. If the temperature is higher than normal, then the larvae will be lethargic and slow down in development; the heat can lead to their death.

To avoid excessive dry air, it is enough to spray the substrate with a spray bottle of water every day.

A special substrate of oak leaves, wood and peat must be sprinkled on the bottom. It is not necessary to buy all the ingredients, they can be taken from nature, but in this case everything needs to be processed at high temperature to get rid of all the parasites that may live there.

It is necessary to place several pieces of bark and driftwood on the ground so that the beetles have a place to climb.

It is not necessary to feed the Hercules beetle any exotic fruits; they will happily eat pears, bananas, apples and peaches. Every day you need to put new fruits in the feeder. If you do not change them, there is a danger that fruit flies will appear in the house. Even though they are not dangerous for a beetle, you probably won’t like their presence in the house; they can harm a person.

The larvae can be fed dry dog ​​food.

Some not only keep, but also breed Hercules beetles at home. To do this, you need a container of 100 liters or more, you need to pour a 30-35 cm layer of substrate into it. You need to add rotten wood to it, for example, birch, oak, beech, etc. Each larva needs about 10-15 liters of substrate . It is necessary to replace the soil if there is a large amount of excrement (more than half), and also add it if the layer has decreased significantly.

It is important to maintain moderate soil moisture; drying out or excessive moisture is equally harmful.

The first instar larvae can be kept in one container in a group of 10 pieces; when they reach the last instar, the larvae must be seated one at a time.

Adult larvae need a large amount of compost; when changing the substrate, leave part of the litter and mix the old substrate with the new one. This is necessary to preserve beneficial bacteria in it, otherwise the larvae may have digestive upset.

Does it harm a person?

Hercules does not harm agriculture. The harvest will be preserved if there is a representative on the site. Outwardly, Hercules looks scary, but the beetle is safe for humans. The insect does not attack people, and is also not a carrier of diseases. You can pick up a giant without fear.

This beetle is completely safe for humans

Social structure, life expectancy

Like most other species of living beings, these beetles always have the strongest individuals at the highest level of society. Only the best are worthy to continue the race, therefore, during the mating period, males often fight among themselves - whoever wins gets the female. Victory means that the second individual has received fatal damage. These beetles always fight to the last, they have only two options for ending the battle - their own death or the death of the enemy. Mating and, accordingly, mass fights among beetles occur during the rainy season in a tropical climate.

Females hide their eggs in the wet bark of trees, trying to lay as many eggs as possible each time, since this beetle lives very little - no more than one year. The beetle spends about two months in the larval stage, and the rest of the time lives as a full-fledged adult.

When considering how long the Hercules beetle lives, it is worth considering that everything depends on many factors. For example, despite the peace-loving nature of Hercules, he also has enemies. Of course, first of all, they die at the hands of their own brothers during the mating period. But this also has its advantages - as a result of competition, the population is cleared of the weakest representatives, and only the strongest continue the race.

Hercules is often the victim of certain mammals, rodents, reptiles and bats, which are not deterred by such a frightening appearance of the insect. But catching an insect is not easy. Thanks to his size, strength, tenacious paws and large wings, he often manages to repel the enemy.

Hercules has another enemy - mites. Although these parasites do not kill the beetle, they cause it harm that is incompatible with a full life. Damage to the shell almost always significantly shortens the life of the insect.

Most often, it is the larvae that suffer from other animals and insects. They are defenseless against danger. Therefore, a huge part of the beetle's offspring dies at the development stage. Thus, ants, large ground beetles and centipedes feed on Hercules larvae. The Scolia wasp loves to lay its eggs in it.

What are the reasons for the disappearance

The beetle is an endangered species and is protected. The reduction in numbers is caused by human activity, which contributes to the reduction of natural areas suitable for Hercules to live in.

The beetle can lose its home due to active deforestation of tropical forests. Local residents also hunt for insects for the following reasons:

• larvae are used in food instead of meat;
• the beetle's body and horn are used in alternative medicine to eliminate many diseases;
• the insect is the dream of many collectors.

There is a threat of complete extinction of the species. For several years now, attempts have been made to propagate the beetle under artificial conditions, which are successful when favorable conditions are maintained.

Habitat

Where does one of the largest insects, the Hercules beetle, live? Its homeland is South America. The giant can also be found in Central America. Habitat: Mexico, Bolivia, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Ecuador, Panama, Peru. Some subspecies are found in the Lesser Antilles. Insects prefer moist tropical and subtropical forests with an abundance of greenery and fruits. Where does the Hercules beetle live? The forest floor serves as the giant's home. Adults hide at the base of trees, and larvae hide in rotting wood. The beetles are found in mountain and lowland forests during the wet season.