User:Katylady1007/Hercules beetle

The Hercules beetle (Dynastes hercules) is a species of rhinoceros beetle native to the rainforests of Central America, South America, and the Lesser Antilles, and is the longest extant species of beetle in the world, and is also one of the largest flying insects in the world. Dynastinae

Description

Fix Citation - Adult body sizes (not including the horn) vary between 50 and 85 mm (2.0 and 3.3 in) in length and 29 and 42 mm (1.1 and 1.7 in) in width,^{[clarification needed]}

Life Cycle

Larva of D. hercules Not much is known about the life cycle in the wild, but much evidence has been gained through observations of captive-bred populations. Females of D. hercules may lay up to 100 eggs on the ground or on dead wood. The eggs have an incubation period of approximately 27.7 days before they hatch. Once hatched, the larval stage of the Hercules beetle may last up to two years in duration, where it will go through 3 metamorphosis stages, also known as instars (Add Citation Here 7). The larva have a yellow body with a black head. The larva can grow up to 11 centimeters (4.5 inches) in length and weigh more than 100 grams. In laboratory conditions at 25 ± 1°C, the first instar stage lasts an average of 50 days, the second stage an average of 56 days, and the third an average of 450 days. The pupal stage lasts about 32 days, while adults can live for three to six months in captivity.

The mating season for adults typically occurs during the rainy season (July to December). Females have an average gestation period of 30 days from copulation to egg-laying. Male Hercules beetles typically use their large horns to settle mating disputes; these fights can cause significant physical damage to the combatants. During fights, the males attempt to grab and pin their rival between the cephalic and thoracic horns to lift and throw them. The successful male wins mating rights with the female, though the beetles remain polygynandrous.

Diet and Behavior

Diet

The larva of the Hercules beetle feeds on rotting wood during its two-year larval stage. The adult Hercules beetle feeds on fresh and rotting fruit. They have been observed feeding on peach, pear, apple, and grape in captivity.

Behavior

Within their native rainforest habitats, larvae reside in decaying wood, and the adult beetles, which are nocturnal, forage for fruit at night and hide or burrow within the leaf litter during the day.

The adult D. hercules beetles are capable of creating a 'huffing' sound, generated by stridulating their abdomen against their elytra to serve as a warning to predators.

Like most insects, communication within the species is a mix of chemoreception, sight, and mechanical perception. Experiments on D. hercules have shown that a male placed in the vicinity of a female will immediately orient towards her and seek her out, suggesting chemical communication through strong sexual pheromones.

Physical strength

Reports suggest the Hercules beetle is able to carry up to 850 times its body mass, but actual measurements on a much smaller (and relatively stronger: see square-cube law) species of rhinoceros beetle shows a carrying capacity only up to 100 times their body mass, at which point they can barely move.

Relationship to humans[edit]

D. hercules does not negatively affect human activities, either as an agricultural pest or disease vector. The beetles may be kept as pets.