These are some of the largest species of beetle in Hong Kong, and I am always pleased to find them, lumbering around.
i'm not really up on my beetle naming, but ill give it my best shot (and to me these are all Rhino or Unicorn beetles)...but above is the Trichogmophus mongol. three horns?
They fly even worse than they can walk, but when you see them clinging to a stem of a plant or tree with their very grippy long legs, then it all makes sense.
One astonishing power they have is their strength...with some species anecdotally claimed to lift up to 850 times their own weight.Their common names refer to the characteristic horns borne only by the males of most species in the group. The horns are used in fighting other males during mating season, and for digging. The size of the horn is a good indicator of nutrition and physical health (no sniggering in the back there...you know who you are...).
This is Xylotrupes gideon, a male.
The body of an adult rhinoceros beetle is covered by a thick exoskeleton. They are nocturnal, so they can avoid many of their predators during the day. When the sun is out, they hide under logs or in vegetation to camouflage themselves from view.
Now for the weird bit....when you pick them up (or If they are disturbed), some can release very loud, hissing squeaks. The hissing squeaks are created by rubbing their abdomens against the ends of their wing covers. Really bizarre, and quite disconcerting first time you hear it...like a big snake!
Ok, im really not sure about this one....looks like the female stag beetle i drew up with in Europe, so im guessing its the female Prosopocoilus gracilis.
Male Rhinoceros beetles can live up to 2–3 years, whilst their female companions rarely live long after they mate (and laying c.50 eggs), which is why maybe i do not find so many. Also, interesting, the beetles' larval stages can be several years long, and these grubs can reach a great size, feeding on rotten wood. The adults however feed on nectar, plant sap and fruit. Contrary to what their size may imply, adult rhinoceros beetles do not eat large amounts, unlike their larvae, which eat a significant amount of rotting wood.
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