Care Sheet - Hercules Rhinoceros Beetle (Dynastes hercules)
An adult male Hercules Rhinoceros Beetle (Dynastes hercules ssp. hercules)
Common Name: Hercules Rhinoceros Beetle
Scientific Name: Dynastes hercules
Distribution: North and South America
Etymology:
[Dynastes] named after the son of Heracles and Erato from Greek mythology
[hercules] named after the Roman god of strength
World Record Size:
Wild – ### mm
Captive Breeding – 182.8 mm (2022)
Egg to adult: 12-36 months
Adult lifespan: 12 months
Pupal stage duration: 2-3 months
Maturation time of fresh adults: 2 months
Egg incubation duration: 1 month
Rearing temperature: Room temperature (18-25°C)
Distribution data of extant Dynastes hercules subspecies:
Dynastes hercules ssp. hercules – Guadeloupe Island
Dynastes hercules ssp. bluezeni – Venezuela
Dynastes hercules ssp. ecuatorianus – Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
Dynastes hercules ssp. lichyi – Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Dynastes hercules ssp. morishimai – Bolivia
Dynastes hercules ssp. occidentalis – Colombia, Ecuador, Panama
Dynastes hercules ssp. paschoali – Brazil
Dynastes hercules ssp. reidi – Saint Lucia
Dynastes hercules ssp. septentrionalis – Costa Rica, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama
Dynastes hercules ssp. takakuwai – Brazil
Dynastes hercules ssp. trinidadensis – Trinidad and Tobago
Dynastes hercules ssp. tutlaensis – Mexico
An mating adult pair of Hercules Rhinoceros Beetles (Dynastes hercules ssp. hercules)
Species Description:
The Hercules Rhino Beetle, (Dynastes hercules) is the largest beetle in the where the current world record specimen has been measured at just over 180 mm in length. Hercules Rhino Beetles are undoubtedly the most popular and most sought after species by hobbyists due to its great size and its “wow-factor”. Dynastes hercules is a stunningly large beetle with yellow, spotted elytra (wings) and long, impressive horns which they use to fight other males in order to secure mating rights with females.
The Hercules Rhino Beetle has a very wide distribution around Central America and South America, and there are currently 12 different geographically isolated subspecies which all have regional differences such as overall body size, horn shape, and elytra colour (wings). I have listed the 12 different subspecies along with their distribution below.
Food for Beetle Larvae:
As with most stag beetle species (Dynastinae family), the larvae will feed on substrate that is mainly composed of decayed wood of trees in the Beech family (Fabaceae family) which include oaks (Quercus spp.), beech, (Fagus spp.) and chestnut, (Castanea spp.). A general beetle substrate guide that covers the different types of substrates for different types of beetles can be found HERE.
Unlike with stag beetle larvae, a portion of the substrate for rhino beetle larvae can be replaced with decayed leaves of the same tree species if there is a shortage of decayed wood. I recommend that the ratio of leaves should not exceed the ratio of 1:4 (20% : 80%) of leaves to wood respectively.
To raise large adults, home-made Flake Soil should be used instead of wood collected from nature. Flake Soil is the term used for fresh sawdust that has been decayed under controlled conditions with additional protein sources that results in a uniform, earthy substrate that is rich in nutrients.
To view my tried and tested flake soil recipe with a breakdown of tips and tricks, please click HERE.
Food for Adult Beetles:
Adult beetles can be fed on beetle jelly or most sweet fruits such as bananas, apples, mangos, peaches, melons and watermelons to name a few. Adult females should preferably be given fruits that are higher in protein content such as bananas to aid in their egg production.
Foods to avoid for adult beetles are certain types of sugar-water, and fruits high in acidity such as those in the Citrus genus (oranges, lemons, grapefruits, etc.). Fruits that are high in acidity are said to disrupt the pH balance in the gut of some species, potentially leading to refusal to feed after a certain period of time.
A group of L2 and L3 larvae of the Hercules Rhinoceros Beetle (Dynastes hercules)
Breeding Dynastes hercules:
How to make a breeding box:
Prepare a 50 L box and fill it 70% full with substrate.
Compress the substrate down as hard as you can (use your hands to press it from above).
Lightly fill up to 70% of the container again with substrate.
Place perches on the surface so that the adult beetles can right themselves up if they accidentally flip over.
Place fruits (or beetle jellies) on the surface as well.
Once the breeding box has been completed, place both the male and female Dynastes hercules together in the breeding box. Leave them together for 7-10 days to ensure that they mate properly. Afterwards, the male can be taken out and kept separately if you wish.
If the male is seen attacking the female, it is a likely sign that they are not sexually mature yet. When this hapens, keep them separately in their own enclosures for a few weeks before attempting again.
How to check for eggs/larvae:
The breeding box can be checked for any eggs and larvae 1 month after the female has been introduced into the breeding box. Find a large box and empty out the substrate from the breeding box into it by flipping it over. Carefully break apart and work through the substrate in order to find the eggs and larvae. They are soft and fragile, so please take care to handle them gently when moving the eggs and larvae.
Raising the larvae:
Larvae should ideally be separated and reared individually to prevent the larvae from getting stressed out by each other (and to prevent any risk of cannibalism in more aggressive species). Communal rearing is possible, provided that plenty of space and substrate is given. Dynastes hercules can be reared on either wood/flake soil. At the L3 stage, the larvae should be kept in a container that is a minimum of 5000 ml in size.
Pupal stage:
From the moment onwards after the larva constructs a pupal cell, it is important to keep disturbance to a minimum. Please refrain from unnecessarily picking the container up or shaking it. Their pupal period is about 1 month, after which they emerge into an adult beetle.
