Species Dynastes tityus - Eastern Hercules Beetle-Female
Jul 11, 2019 11:41:12 #
I don't see these too often and most times it's the female. I went out in my back yard and discovered this one but alas it was dead. I still snapped off some pics including one with my thumb for a size reference... While walking the dog earlier I spotted a Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly. I wonder if it was the one that eclosed and I released last night...Oh, the frog that I posted over in the gallery yesterday has managed to find it's way back to where I have found it several times before. That said, I just left it alone...
Jul 11, 2019 12:37:59 #
Jul 11, 2019 13:08:38 #
Nice! I particularly like the last shot since it gives an idea of the scale of the critter. Have often thought about ways to do that - usually involving some stainless steel device - your method works well.
Jul 11, 2019 15:57:45 #
Jul 11, 2019 19:24:54 #
Jul 11, 2019 21:18:12 #
Wow! I would like to see one of those! So I got curious about how to get things like these, and here are some details about their biology and how to maybe attract them: https://www.uky.edu/Ag/CritterFiles/casefile/insects/beetles/hercules/hercules.htm
Since the females emit a pheromone, I suppose too a live female might be used to attract a male. I have done this a couple times with Saturniid moths.
Since the females emit a pheromone, I suppose too a live female might be used to attract a male. I have done this a couple times with Saturniid moths.
Jul 12, 2019 07:41:26 #
Jul 12, 2019 08:42:41 #
Jul 13, 2019 01:45:32 #
Mark Sturtevant wrote:
Wow! I would like to see one of those! So I got curious about how to get things like these, and here are some details about their biology and how to maybe attract them: https://www.uky.edu/Ag/CritterFiles/casefile/insects/beetles/hercules/hercules.htm
Since the females emit a pheromone, I suppose too a live female might be used to attract a male. I have done this a couple times with Saturniid moths.
Since the females emit a pheromone, I suppose too a live female might be used to attract a male. I have done this a couple times with Saturniid moths.
A couple cents more.
A container with a peach will attract them. They can be found under peach trees feeding on windfalls.
They pupate in a tennis ball sized cocoon of fecal pellets and rotting wood. They are not soil dwellers, but tree hole scarabs.
If removed from cocoon, will eclose misformed.
Easy to mate, put them together. Will live till December if cared for properly.
Female lays 50+ eggs in well rotted oak, maple and other hardwoods. Larva eat same.
Two year life cycle.
I ended up with over a dozen adult pairs the one time I raised them.
Bill
Jul 14, 2019 22:46:39 #
What a very interesting beetle. Lovely color and highly detailed. Thanks for sharing.
Jul 15, 2019 22:20:43 #
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