Quick Facts
- Type
- Insect
- Size
- Males up to 17 cm including horns
- Weight
- Up to about 30 g
- Habitat
- Rainforests of Central and South America
- Diet
- Rotting fruit and sap (adults); decaying wood (larvae)
- Active Time
- Mainly nocturnal
- Lifespan
- About 1–2 years, mostly as larva
Field Notes
- Hercules beetles can lift many times their own body weight.
- Only males have the giant horns, used to flip rivals during contests over mates.
- Their wing cases can change color from olive to black as humidity changes.
About the Hercules Beetle
The Hercules beetle is one of the largest and strongest beetles in the world, native to the rainforests of Central and South America. Males bear two enormous horns, one on the head and one on the thorax, which they use to wrestle rival males over mates. Despite their fearsome look, the beetles are harmless to people and feed mainly on rotting fruit and tree sap as adults. They are famous for prodigious strength relative to size, and their wing cases can shift color depending on humidity.
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