![]() ![]() They cannot bite or sting or hurt you with their horns. In spite of their fierce appearance, they are all totally harmless. It is not possible to say what the average life span is because the name rhino beetle refers to about 300 different species of scarab beetles, some live in tropical countries and some live in North America and so the length of their lives varies a lot. Rhino beetles have three instars, that is, they go through three molts before changing into the pupae stage. The larvae, on the other hand, eat a great deal of rotting wood or the compost in which they live. ![]() In spite of their size, they do not eat very much. Adults feed on nectar, plant sap and fruit. As with all beetles, the Rhinoceros Beetle larvae (grubs) hatch from eggs and develop into pupae and these eventually develop into adult beetles. Their larval stage is long, several years in some species. If a squeaking beetle is examined closely, the abdomen can be seen moving in time with the squeaks. The hissing squeak is merely a bluff and is produced by rubbing the abdomen against the ends of the wing covers. The fearsome appearance of these beetles is increased by the loud hissing squeaks they give when disturbed. During the day, they hide under logs or in vegetation and are invisible from the few predators big enough to want to eat them. The best protection they have from predators is their usually large size combined with being nocturnal (activity being at night). ![]() Using its horns, it can dig its way out of a sticky situation by burying itself underground, escaping danger. Scientists believe that the beetle has become so strong to be able to forage through heavy litter on the jungle floor and dig its way to safety. The male Rhinoceros Beetles use their horns in mating battles against other males. The two horns almost meet and by moving its head the beetle can pinch weakly with them. They have two horns, one on the top of the head and the other projecting forward from the middle of the thorax. Rhino Beetles reach 60 millimetres in length. The Rhinoceros Beetle is aptly named because it has horns on its head, very much like the rhinoceros does. Rhinoceros Beetles are among the largest of beetles in the world. Use Buglife’s Rhinoceros beetle ID guide for help.The Rhinoceros Beetle (or Rhino Beetle) belongs to the subfamily (Dynastinae) and is part of the family of scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae). Members of the public are asked to submit any sightings to but be careful not get the European rhinoceros beetle confused with any look-alikes. Since the discovery in Worcestershire, Buglife are investigating whether the European rhinoceros beetle is actually breeding in the wild, or an escapee. The adults do not feed and live up until the Autumn. Taking around two years to develop in the larval stage, the adults emerge between March to May, flying around at dusk time. The larvae live on dead, rotten wood and can be found in rotting wood stumps and in sawdust. The wing cases are a dark brown with a glazed appearance giving it the impression of a shiny conker and the legs and the underside of the body are covered with long red hair. The European rhinoceros beetle can reach up to 6cm, and although this makes it one of the smaller species of rhinoceros beetle, it is still one of the largest and heaviest beetles found in Europe. Rhinoceros beetles are some of the strongest beetles in the world, able to life up to 850 times their own body weight. It is absent from the UK, although a discovery last month of a female specimen in a Worcestershire back garden has caused a stir amongst experts. Although found in a large number of countries, in some areas it is considered rare and has been given legal protection. The European rhinoceros beetle lives throughout mainland Europe as far north as Scandinavia and spreads outwards towards Pakistan and North Africa.
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