Rhinoceros beetle: photo and description, imago and larvae of the rhinoceros beetle

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Not everyone is lucky enough to see a rhinoceros beetle in person. However, if it comes into view, it will not leave the memory for a long time. This is a fairly large insect, attracting with its extraordinary appearance. The rhinoceros beetle got its unusual name due to a small growth on its head, which looks very much like a rhinoceros horn. In females it is little expressed, but males have an impressive horn.

Origin of the species and description

Photo: Rhinoceros beetle insect

Rhinoceroses belong to the family of lamellar insects. There is a huge variety of them in nature: Australian, Japanese, elephant beetle, North American, giant, Asian, and many other species. Science knows more than one thousand three hundred varieties of this insect. Their representatives inhabit almost the entire globe, with the exception of particularly cold regions.

Video: Rhinoceros beetle

The rhinoceros beetle has two distinctive features. The first is a pronounced horn on the head of males. It is extended high up, quite strong, and has power. The second important feature is the durable chitinous shell. It reliably protects the beetle from enemies. Outwardly it resembles soldier's armor. In addition to its unusual appearance and large dimensions, the rhinoceros is considered one of the most powerful creatures on the planet. This is, of course, taking into account its actual size.

Interesting fact: The aerodynamic structure of the body of this insect can confidently be called not intended for flight. However, the rhinoceros beetle does not care about the laws of physics. He not only flies, but is capable of covering record distances through the air. Such bugs can easily cover a distance of more than thirty kilometers. This was confirmed by scientists and documented as a result of experiments.

Another phenomenal quality inherent in members of the family is the ability to generate a small electrical charge. It is formed on the body of the beetle thanks to special brushes. In the event of a collision, the enemy may feel a slight electric shock.

Description

The body and limbs of the rhinoceros beetle consist of segments - segments. The body itself is divided into three sections: head, chest, abdomen. In this case, the chest consists of 3 segments, and the abdomen - of 8.

The rhinoceros beetle's body is oblong, convex and wide. The male's body is uniform, while the female's is slightly expanded back.

The pronotum of the male is larger than that of the female. The pronotum has a transverse rib with 3 tubercles, 2 (lateral) of which are wide and transverse. The central tubercle is triangular in shape. In front, the pronotum has a triangular notch, which is bordered by a smooth border. The pronotum of the female is narrower than the bases of the elytra and smaller than that of the male.

The beetle's head is small relative to its body. The clypeus is triangular in shape, in the male it is covered with small points, which in him, unlike females, do not merge, and on the anterior edge ends with a small, slightly raised side. The antennae are located on the head, geniculate and curved to form a lamellar club.

3 pairs of walking legs are located on the chest, so each pair of legs corresponds to one segment of the chest. The limbs consist of 5 segments, the front legs have serrations and are digging, and the rest end with pads and are needed for movement. The limbs themselves seem to be widely spaced.

Horn

In males, most of the head is occupied by a growth - a horn. From the base to the top, the horn gradually narrows, has a triangular cross-section and a uniform bend, which is directed from the very base upward and backward.

Females also have a horn, but it is much less pronounced, the direction of the bend is the same as that of the male, and is blunt at the apex. In males with normal development, the horn reaches a considerable length; in underdeveloped individuals, the length of the horn is slightly longer than the length of the female’s horn. The meaning of the horn is still unknown. The Beetle does not use it in case of attack or defense.

Color and sizes

The male rhinoceros beetle reaches an average length of 25–43 mm, and the female 26–41 mm. The color of the beetle's back varies from dark brown to red-brown. The abdomen and limbs are much lighter, yellowish-brown in color, covered with yellow-brown hairs. The chitinous cover of the beetle shines.

The beetle's body size, color, and horn length vary greatly and depend on environmental conditions. Thus, larger individuals have a relatively dark color and a more powerful horn and a wide pronotum. So small males are very similar in appearance to females.

Internal structure

Since the rhinoceros beetle belongs to the class of insects, its internal structure is similar to the structure of other representatives of this class.

In beetles, almost all organs of the digestive system have atrophied, which may be evidence that the beetles do not feed at all, but receive energy for life from previously accumulated substances.

Beetles breathe atmospheric oxygen, which enters a system of spiracles located on the chest and abdomen of the insect. Then, from the spiracles, oxygen enters the respiratory tubes - the tracheas, which envelop all organs, and oxygen directly and freely flows to them.

The circulatory system is not closed and is extremely reduced. The heart has the shape of a tube, which is divided into chambers with valve openings. The muscles attached to them extend from the chambers to the sides, which contract and drive hemolymph into the aorta. From the aorta, hemolymph flows into the spaces between the organs and fills them. Then the hemolymph is collected again in the heart through the chambers. Hemolymph is colorless.

The functions of the beetle's excretory organs are performed by the Malpighian vessels and the fat body. Malpighian vessels are thin tubes blindly closed at the free end. They arise from the alimentary canal between the midgut and hindgut.

Round nodules of uric acid are deposited in the fat body. The fat body is the “storage bud” of the beetle, since uric acid is not excreted from it.

The nervous system helps manage the complex processes of the entire body. The central nervous system consists of the brain, the ventral nerve cord, which runs along the ventral side of the body, and the peripharyngeal ganglion. The brain consists of three sections. The peripharyngeal ganglion is well developed. Almost all of these sections secrete neurosecrets that are responsible for the growth and development of the insect.

Appearance and features

Photo: Rhinoceros beetle

The rhinoceros beetle has the following external features:

Large dimensions. The insect can reach a length of forty-seven millimeters. Male beetles are slightly larger than females.
Characteristic horn. This growth is pronounced in males. In females it is small, resembling an ordinary tubercle. There is also a transverse prominence on the pronotum of beetles.
Small head. Almost the entire head of males is occupied by a horn. Beetles have wide eye lobes and a large upper jaw. The back of the head is mostly smooth. The side of the insects' head is covered with deep wrinkles.
Weakly transverse pronotum. In the male it has large dimensions. The posterior part of the pronotum is convex and has tubercles. In front it is slightly smoothed out. A transverse rib is located on the pronotum. It usually has three tubercles.
Convex elytra. They have remarkably developed shoulder tubercles. The propygidium is covered with wrinkles and hairs.
Strong, short legs. They are widely spaced. The front ones are designed for digging, the rest help the insect move around the terrain without problems.
Unusual color. The rhinoceros beetle is a very beautiful insect. His body shimmers pleasantly in the sun. It is shiny and has a red-brown color. Only the lower side of the body is slightly yellow and is much lighter than the upper.
Thick, C-shaped larva. It has a yellow-white color and can reach eleven centimeters in length.

Interesting fact: Protruding horns are the main feature of rhinoceros beetles. But scientists still cannot explain their purpose. It would seem that this is an excellent means of defense or attack, but insects escape from danger in a completely different way. When meeting an enemy, they instantly pretend to be dead. The bugs fold their legs, tuck their antennae, and quickly fall to the ground. There they merge with the soil, branches, leaves.

Benefits and harms

As mentioned earlier, rhinoceros beetles love to live in dung. This insect is a natural fertilizer for the soil. And it is there that you can find larvae that eat the roots of young seedlings. There are known cases when such larvae dined on the root system:

The life activity of the rhinoceros beetle is poorly studied. There are many documentaries, monographs and articles about them. However, science has made little progress regarding the study of this species.

Some people keep rhinoceros beetles in their homes as an exotic pet. Sometimes these representatives of the fauna can be purchased at pet stores. Most often, males are purchased because they have a more attractive appearance compared to females. However, when buying such a pet , you should pay attention to the fact that the conditions for keeping it at home should be as close to natural as possible. It is also necessary to know that males live only a few months, so they are not entirely suitable for the role of a pet, which is distinguished by its lifespan.

Unfortunately, the number of rhinoceros beetles has begun to decline sharply for unknown reasons. Accurate information on this fact has not yet been published. But some assumptions suggest that this is due to climate change.

Sources:

https://www.bolshoyvopros.ru/questions/1679819-chem-kormit-zhuka-nosoroga.html https://givotniymir.ru/zhuk-nosorog-obraz-zhizni-i-sreda-obitaniya-zhuka-nosoroga/ https ://irecommend.ru/content/zhuki-nosorogi-soderzhanie-v-domashnikh-usloviyakh https://zveri.guru/nasekomye/zhuki/obraz-zhizni-zhuka-nosoroga-chto-est-zhuk-nosorog.html

Where does the rhinoceros beetle live?

Photo: Insect rhinoceros beetle

Rhinoceros beetles, their various species, are very widespread. They can be found in Europe. The exception is the northern regions with a cold climate. A large population of these insects lives in the Caucasus, southern Siberia, North Africa, Central Asia, Turkey, Asia Minor, and Syria. A small number of beetles can be found in Crimea and in some regions of Ukraine.

The rhinoceros beetle requires deciduous forests to live, reproduce and feed. This is their natural habitat. Forests of any type are welcome: watershed forests, river floodplain forests, mountain forests, above-meadow terraces, and gully forests. It is in this area that most of the rhinoceros family lives. However, thanks to human intervention, these insects were able to penetrate into other zones: steppe, semi-desert. They are firmly established in artificial plantings and can easily exist in treeless areas.

In Kazakhstan and Central Asia, the animal can be found in the steppe and semi-desert. It has adapted to live and reproduce in human settlements. The insect actively develops in rotted manure, in garbage heaps, various greenhouses and in livestock yards. In a similar way, the rhinoceros beetle is located in northern Europe and the European part of Russia. There it can be found in greenhouses, greenhouses, and various wastes.

The rhinoceros beetle and its relationship with humans

Unfortunately, very little is known reliably about the life of these beetles. Paradox: these insects are very common, but little has been studied. Many stories, documentaries and educational films have been shot about them, and a huge number of articles and monographs have been written. But there has been no significant progress in the study of these amazing insects. Rhinoceroses have even become heroes of some animated films, sometimes playing leading roles.

As you can see, rhinoceroses are of great interest. Studying these subspecies will help shed light on the life and physiology of these beetles, facilitating more effective protection. Some cultures tend to deify these insects. Mythology endowed them with an aura of mystery, power and strength. Years, centuries and centuries passed, and the beetles continued to follow their mysterious nocturnal lifestyle.

During the day, rhinoceroses lead a sedentary lifestyle. There are lovers of these rhinoceroses who are ready to keep them at home. You can rarely find them in a pet store and their prices can be quite significant. It depends on the subspecies of the beetle, its size and gender. As a rule, they buy males. They have a more impressive appearance, although they are smaller in size compared to the female. Even the high price is not a barrier to the difficulty of purchasing a rhinoceros for their owners. Many people want to touch the world of mysteries and secrets.

The role of this beetle in art and creativity is noteworthy. It can be seen on the covers of a large number of scientific books and magazines. Rhinoceroses from the world of insects in modern times are a symbol of science, its fundamentality and stability, a symbol of scientific discoveries and achievements. You can often find figurines and sculptures of this beetle, made from a variety of materials and various techniques and trends. They can relate to different historical periods - from ancient times to modern times. It can also be found on postcards, posters and even postage stamps.

What does the rhinoceros beetle eat?

Photo: Large rhinoceros beetle

The diet of the rhinoceros beetle is highly controversial among entomologists. Until now, scientists around the world cannot agree on a common opinion. There are two versions about the rhinoceros diet:

Its diet is identical to that of the stag beetle. One group of entomologists insists that rhinoceroses consume the sap of various plants: birch bark, oak, birch, and willow. This theory has some compelling evidence. The cutting teeth of the insect are poorly developed, the lower jaws are covered with special bristles. The bristles form an organ that allows the animal to eat plant juice;
The rhinoceros beetle does not eat at all. This is the second hypothesis. It says that the insect does not consume any food as an adult. It consumes nutrients that were accumulated at the larval stage. This statement also has plausible evidence - the entire digestive system of the insect is atrophied.

Interesting fact: Despite poor or even non-existent nutrition, the rhinoceros beetle is a real strongman. He can lift 800 times his own weight. This phenomenal ability made him famous and popular throughout the world. The strongman beetle often appears on the cover of various scientific and other printed publications.

A little biology

The rhinoceros beetle, common rhinoceros beetle or hollow rhinoceros (lat. Oryctes nasicornis) is a species of Coleoptera belonging to the lamellar family. A large chestnut-brown or red-brown beetle with a massive body 25-47 mm long. The legs are thick, strong, the front legs are digging, the hind legs have supporting teeth and spines. The species is characterized by pronounced sexual dimorphism. Males have a backward-curved horn on the head, and a three-toothed transverse prominence on the pronotum. Females have a small horn on their head, its shape resembling a small tubercle. Also in females the pronotum on the pronotum is poorly developed. The beetles are active mainly on warm summer evenings and often fly to artificial light sources.

The rhinoceros beetle is a heterosexual insect. After fertilization, the female lays eggs in rotten stumps, dung heaps, tree trunks and dies, giving birth to the offspring. After 30 days, the larvae hatch and remain in their “nest” for 3 years, feeding on organic decay substances. The larvae are large, 9 cm long, C-shaped curved and covered with hairs. The larva's head is large and dark brown. The larvae feed on the root system of young plants and root crops.

Having accumulated a decent supply of nutrients, the larva turns into a free-type pupa, having previously undergone three molts. In the pupal stage, the insect lives 12-30 days. At first it has a light brown color, and over time it acquires a dark shade. In the spring, in the second half of March - in April, an adult beetle emerges from the pupa. The flight period lasts 3-5 months. Insects live in the ground, emerging in the dark.

The head is small. The clypeus has a triangular shape, with almost straight sides, narrowed in front. In the male it is covered with small non-merging dots, in the female it is covered with very dense merging dots and very coarse wrinkles. The eye lobes are wide. The antennae are ten-segmented, fan-shaped, with a large basal segment. The antennal club is small, three-segmented. The upper jaws are wide, without teeth on the outside.

Features of character and lifestyle

Photo: Insect rhinoceros beetle

Despite the spread and popularity of the strong beetle, its character and lifestyle have not yet been studied in detail by scientists. Only a few basic facts are known for sure. Thus, the natural habitat for these insects is deciduous forest and forest-steppe. However, as noted above, over time, many representatives of the family have mastered another habitat - semi-deserts, steppe zones with artificial plantings.

Rhinoceros beetles begin to show their activity in the second half of March. They are adapted to temperate climates. The flight period is about five months. During the daytime, these insects usually spend time in a shelter. Its role can be large cracks in trees, holes in roots, underground burrows. Animals rest there. Beetles leave their homes only at dusk.

The nature of the rhinoceros beetle is peaceful. This insect never attacks. It does not bite and cannot harm humans or other animals. In case of danger, rhinoceroses prefer to hide or pretend to be dead. The beetles try to burrow into the ground as quickly as possible. If this is impossible, then they very convincingly depict their own demise: they quickly fall, tuck their paws and antennae.

Habitats and lifestyle

The natural range of the species covers the zone of deciduous forests and forest-steppe, where its habitats are forests of various types, as well as artificial plantings. Beetles inhabit oak, willow and other species. Development occurs in the roots and butt part of old dead trees, less often in fallen trunks and hollows.

The duration of the flight period of the rhinoceros beetle is from three to five months. They appear in the second half of March or April and disappear in the summer, in July-August. Rhinoceros beetles usually leave their underground shelters only at night. Having accidentally found itself on the surface during the day, the beetle, like a true rhinoceros, rakes up a layer of woody debris with its horn and makes its way into the dark, cool depths. As for the enemies and parasites of the rhinoceros beetle, gamasid mites are found in large numbers on adult beetles. The larva is parasitized by the larva of Scolia major.

Flight

According to the laws of physics, the rhinoceros beetle cannot fly - its body is not capable of lifting its light wings into the air. But, despite physical laws, the rhinoceros beetle flies quite well. Special experiments were carried out in which “tagged” beetles covered a distance of 50 km without landing (they flew over the English Channel). It has not yet been possible to explain the phenomenon of beetle flight. However, scientists have found that the elytra of a beetle under ultraviolet light has the properties of a semiconductor; in addition, small hairs located in the lower part of the beetle’s body are capable of accumulating an electrostatic charge, similar to a capacitor.

Scientists did not ignore the beetle's horn. It turned out that the horn is very similar to a microcircuit - different parts of it, when measured, show different resistance values, exhibiting the properties of semiconductors. German scientist Richard Kuhn called the rhinoceros beetle a model of a natural anti-gravitator. Perhaps in the future it will be possible not only to explain the flight of a beetle, but also to apply this method of flight to humans.

Nutrition

Little is known about the diet of rhinoceros beetles, and the data obtained differ from each other. Thus, some sources claim that beetles do not feed at all (aphagia), while other sources say that they can feed on liquefied food or plant juice.

The fact that beetles can feed on plant sap is confirmed by the structure of the oral apparatus - the weak development of chewing surfaces, the absence of chitinous teeth for grinding hard food. At the same time, the lower jaws are covered with thick, long hairs that form brushes, which presumably collect plant sap.

At the same time, almost all organs of the beetles’ digestive system have atrophied, which may be evidence that the beetles do not feed at all, but receive energy for life from previously accumulated substances.

Social structure and reproduction

Photo: Rhinoceros beetle from the Red Book

Rhinoceros beetles breed during the warm season. Having found a suitable mate for himself, the male fertilizes the female. After some time, the female begins to search for a suitable place for oviposition.

The most suitable for this are:

old manure;
rotten stumps;
garbage heaps;
trunks of various trees.

The eggs are in the development stage for about one month. Then they turn into a larva. The larva matures by summer. She begins to actively feed, is quite large and voracious. The larvae feed on various plant foods and the remains of decaying trees. The larvae often harm plants by gnawing through their root system. The larval stage lasts up to eight years - this is the longest period of a rhino's life. Its duration depends entirely on the quality of food and the region where the animal lives.

Interesting fact: Female rhinoceros beetles never lay eggs in the trunks of coniferous or citrus trees.

This is followed by a period of pupation. The pupa becomes more and more similar to an adult rhinoceros beetle. At first it is light yellow, then acquires a brown tint. The rhinoceros beetle lives for the sole purpose of leaving behind new offspring. Therefore, the lifespan of an adult is short - only a few weeks. Very rarely it reaches one month.

Kinds

This is a highly polymorphic type of insect. The beetle described above is found most often in nature close to us and is also called the rhinoceros hollow beetle. But it is by no means the only variety.

On the contrary, there are plenty of species of such beetles observed in nature. But their identification is difficult due to the enormous variability of such creatures, even within a particular population.

These curious creatures vary greatly in horn(s) and body shape, color and size. But some of them are worthy of special description.

The Hercules beetle is a resident of the tropical regions of the American continent and nearby islands. The size of this insect is impressive, reaching 17 cm in male representatives, but the female rhinoceros beetle of this species is twice as small.

The front part of this creature, including the horns with teeth, is black. The upper horn, covered on the inside with thick red hairs, is directed forward and curved downwards.

The other, located under the first, is smaller in size and has a bend in the opposite direction. The back of the body, or more precisely the elytra of this giant, is yellow with olive or brown tints, sometimes with black spots, depending on the subspecies.

Hercules beetle

The Japanese rhinoceros beetle also has two horns, upper and lower, black. They are curved inward, but their shape is completely different and they bifurcate at the end, resembling two-pronged forks. The elytra of such beetles are most often reddish-purple.

The Japanese rhinoceros beetle has horns in the form of two processes arranged at the end

The unicorn beetle is a North American species. Despite the name, it actually has three horns. The upper one is large and directed forward. And below there are two more straight processes, but they are smaller in size.

The elytra of such creatures can be brown-yellow with spots, gray, or greenish.

Beetle unicorn

Elephant beetle. The males of this species are also endowed with impressive sizes. And their length can reach 12 cm. But their horns are not at all that impressive. In fact, these are just growths on the head.

Pictured is an elephant beetle

Natural enemies of rhinoceros beetles

Photo: Rhinoceros beetle insect

Many large birds feed on rhinoceros beetles. Crows, magpies, and woodpeckers are not averse to eating them. Rhinoceroses often fall prey to mammals and reptiles. They also suffer from large amphibians. The natural enemies of this insect are external parasites. They lead to the slow death of the adult. One adult beetle can be parasitized by several gamasid mites.

Larvae also often become victims of parasites. They are parasitized by Scolia wasps. First, the wasp attacks the larva, striking it with its sharp sting. The injection paralyzes the larva. After this, the wasp lays eggs. A new Scolia emerges from the egg and feeds on the beetle larva while it remains paralyzed. Also, larvae often become victims of birds, especially woodpeckers. They have practically no chance to hide or defend themselves from their opponents.

The rhinoceros beetle's worst enemy is humans. It is people who destroy most of the insect population. Sometimes this is not done on purpose. For example, when using manure to fertilize a garden or when cleaning garbage heaps. But cases of deliberate sabotage by humans are not uncommon. Many exotic connoisseurs catch such bugs for their own collections.

The lifestyle of rhinoceroses or what they eat

beetles are quite peaceful creatures

It is known that rhinoceros beetles are insects with complex transformations, having several stages in their development, markedly different in morphological and physiological characteristics.

Stages of beetle development:

egg stage;
larval stage;
pupal stage;
adult.

Each phase of development has its own characteristics. The female beetle lays her eggs in secluded places, protecting them from adverse environmental factors.

After this stage, a larva emerges from the egg. This is the longest stage in the development of an insect. It continues for four years. Everyone who has anything to do with agriculture is very familiar with very voracious and tenacious pests. Yes, it is the rhinoceros larva that can cause enormous damage to crops. This property of the larva does not at all contribute to the preservation of this species of Coleoptera.

After three molts, the larva becomes a pupa, and subsequently an adult insect can be seen.

Rhinos have natural enemies. These are birds that love to feast on the larvae of these insects, contributing to their destruction, as well as mites, various microorganisms that settle in the body of larvae, pupae, and even adults, opponents of these numerous subspecies of beetles. But the most dangerous and insidious enemy of rhinoceroses is man, who thoughtlessly destroys natural landscapes, leading to a decrease in species diversity on Earth. This fact requires the closest attention from both scientists, the state and ordinary people. It is people who, by breaking into the natural conditions of many species, breaking complex food chains, undermine the fragile and so diverse life on planet Earth.

Population and species status

Photo: Male rhinoceros beetle

Despite the existence of a large number of species of rhinoceros beetles, their wide distribution on the planet, this insect, its population in many countries is declining. In some countries, the rhinoceros is listed in the Red Book and is protected by law. This species is saved from extinction only by the presence of a large number of varieties of rhinoceros beetles, their high natural desire to leave behind offspring, and good fertility.

The slow but sure extinction of this family is due to the following reasons:

Ecological deterioration. This is a worldwide problem that negatively affects the population of all insects, mammals, amphibians, and other animals. The problem of household waste pollution in broad-leaved forests is especially acute;
Uprooting old trees. Old wood trunks are a natural habitat and food for rhinoceros beetle larvae. The fewer old trees there are, the less chance insects have of leaving offspring;
Drying of forests, deforestation. This leads to a reduction in places where the insect can live and reproduce;
Deliberate sabotage of a person. This concerns the problem of catching beautiful, unusual insects for home collections. And some people kill adult strong beetles for their own amusement.

Description of the insect

Appearance

It is not difficult to distinguish a female from a male: she does not have a horn (again, it is not clear why). Behind the horns

there is thick chitinous armor: for a creature leading a sedentary lifestyle, even such protection sometimes helps against small aggressors. The front pair of legs of the beetle are digging, the other two are equipped with claws and teeth.

The beetle larva has a very impressive appearance: before pupation, i.e. at the age of three, it reaches 8 cm due to the fact that its body contains more water and fatty deposits than that of an adult beetle. Like most beetle larvae, it lives in loose substrates - dust, humus, compost heaps.

Behavior and lifestyle

Despite its widespread distribution, this beetle poses many mysteries for entomologists due to its secretive lifestyle. Insects do not like daylight, crawling out of their shelters only in the dark. Finding itself in an unusual environment for some reason, the beetle strives to burrow somewhere as quickly as possible.

The life of a sexually mature individual (imago) lasts from 3 to 5 months - from mid-spring to late summer.

After mating, beetles do not live long: like all insects, the resources of their body are designed for only one reproduction cycle.

Reproduction

The fertilized female lays eggs in loose soil, where she dies from exhaustion, never reaching the surface. After three months of maturation, the egg hatches into a larva, which grows by eating the substrate for 3 years. During this time, it greatly increases in size, and in early spring it pupates in a cocoon, which it prepares itself. After about a month, an adult emerges from the cocoon to complete its life cycle.

Nutrition

The life activity of the beetle is still not fully understood. His underdeveloped mouthparts

makes researchers suspect that adults are not able to eat fully. In fact, the chewing surfaces of the mandibles, covered with bristles instead of teeth, are more likely to predispose them to feeding on liquid food.

The larva, equipped with powerful jaws and capable of gnawing long passages in the soil, sometimes causes trouble for gardeners, reaching the roots of fruit plants and roses. Sometimes the larvae cause quite significant damage to greenhouse crops, gnawing their roots, but, in truth, the damage they cause cannot be compared with the damage caused by the larvae of May beetles.

[edit] Interesting facts

The structure of the rhinoceros beetle's horn is amazing. Its different microparts have different semiconductor resistances, which allows us to consider the beetle as a microcircuit or chip created by nature itself.
On the lower chitinous plates there are brushes of hairs that are directed downwards. On these hairs, it is possible to record an electronic charge-discharge in the beetle-ground section. When a flying rhinoceros beetle accidentally crashes into a person, an electrical discharge is clearly felt. It is believed that the beetle can accumulate electrostatic potential, like a capacitor.
In an experiment on rhinoceros beetle flight, tagged beetles flew across the English Channel.
The rhinoceros beetle is capable of moving a load 850 times the weight of the beetle itself.