Monday, February 27, 2012

Dynastes hercules -- The Hercules Beetle

Not only is there a moth named after Herakles, but a beetle. It's a type of Rhinoceros Beetle, native to Central and South America. These types of beetles are among the largest in the world.

Here's a video of two males dueling during mating season:

And here's one just chilling on a rock: 


Random facts I've found about them:
  • Mating can last up to 50 minutes
  • They live as larvae underground for 10-16 months and only 3-4 months as adults above ground
  • "Pound for pound, Hercules beetles are the strongest animal in the world. Some can lift as much as 850 times their own weight" 1
  • They're omnivorous and have a "sweet-tooth" for fruits

And according to Wiktionary, Dynastes means, "a ruler, prince." 2

Sites of Interest:
1 Hercules Beetle 
YouTube Video: Hercules Beetle
Hercules Beetle
Hercules Beetles
Tons of Pics
2 Wiktionary entry
Wiki

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