The Rhino in Your Backyard
As a child, I collected insects. This may sound unusual to those who were
so unfortunate as to grow up in the city, but in my neck of the woods insects
were all the rage. My friends and I would collect everything we could get our
hands on. We grabbed grasshoppers, crickets, beetles of all sorts, and even
spiders which our childish naivete lumped in with the rest of their arthropod
cousins. If you were especially daring, you would even go for wasps and bees.
The ultimate prize however was the ever so elusive rhinoceros beetle. Only one
among us was fortunate enough to have been gifted one by his mother. The rest
of our band scoured high and low but could never find any of these remarkable
insects.
Few insects are as imposing as the rhinoceros beetle. Rhinoceros beetles consist of over 300 species, all belonging to the
subfamily Dynastinae which is in the family Scarabaeidae. They are found on every continent except Antarctica. Their large stature and fascinating
horns are enough to simultaneously intimidate and mesmerize any who stumble
across them. These insects have even had integral roles in popular movies, namely the Disney
film A Bug’s Life. To remove the air
of mystery around these imposing yet completely harmless insects, we are going
to highlight a few examples of their kind.
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Look
at the menacing horns on this Japanese rhinoceros beetle!
https://www.naturepl.com/stock-photo-nature-image01608011.html
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First up is Allomyrina dichotoma, the Japanese rhinoceros beetle. As their name
would suggest, these beetles are native to eastern Asia. They possess two strikingly prominent horns, both characteristically ending in forks. The front and rear horns are called the cephalic and prothoracic horns respectively. As with any rhinoceros beetle, they are sexually dimorphic; only the males possess horns. They primarily use these horns in combat with
rival males, lifting and throwing each other into the ground. In Japan, they
are very popular as pets. So popular in fact, that they are sold in department
stores and even vending machines. Owners will often have tournaments to see
whose beetle is the strongest. However, tournaments in the wild are over
territory. Winning males earn the right to their spot and any females that may enter
it. They also bore into oak and ash trees within their territory and feed on the sap that is emitted from the
hole.
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The
Hercules beetle certainly lives up to its name!
http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/MISC/BEETLES/Dynastes_hercules.htm
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Our next highlight is Dynastes herucles. Earning its name for the herculean strength it
possesses, this beetle is quite a sight to behold. Even in its larval form, it
can fill your entire hand. Their native range spans from southern Mexico down
to Peru. Adults possess extremely impressive horns. Although similar, their
horns possess a few differences when compared to the Japanese rhinoceros
beetle. Namely, the prothoracic horn is larger and neither horn forks, though
the cephalic horn does possess several barb-like projections along its shaft. This
particular rhinoceros beetle is nocturnal and is most commonly found between 3:00
am and 5:00 am. Their lifespan, like most rhinoceros beetles, spans about one
to two years and ends with a three to six month period as the adult beetle. Before
turning into an adult, Hercules beetles pupate in a “cocoon” made of a
concoction of soil and their own feces. Adult Hercules beetles generally feed
on rotten fruit and will even feed for up to twenty-four hours without a break!
The adults use their horns in a similar fashion to Japanese rhinoceros beetles.
They compete over prime territory. However, to match their over-the-top appearance,
Hercules beetles partake in an over-the-top competition. They climb up a tree
and attempt to throw each other off the branches, even hanging upside-down on
occasion. The winner gets the territory, the food within it, and any females
that cross by it.
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| Imagine stumbling upon a larva like this while working in your yard! https://shoeuntied.wordpress.com/2018/01/01/cool-animal-of-the-day-hercules-beetle-larvae/ |
If my compatriots
and I had been armed with this knowledge, we not only would have had a much
easier time finding these marvelous insects, but we would also have had a much
greater appreciation for their diversity and function. It is easy to get lost
in the stunning appearance of these insects, missing the actual purpose of
their remarkable appendages. If you are ever fortunate enough to stumble across
one of these creatures, pause for a moment to observe its behavior. Maybe you
will witness something amazing!
Sources:
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