Family Scarabaeidae - Dynastes hercules (page 3)

Dynastes hercules (page 3)

More photos of the D. hercules larva, and the pupa.

A D. hercules larva curled in the typical C-shaped posture that is common to the larvae of most rhinoceros beetle species. Being so large, it is best to maintain each larva of this species within its own separate rearing container. This allows them to reach their maximum potential growth by eliminating competition for food and space between them.

Photo courtesy of Fan Lin.

Dynastes hercules larva - Image © Fan Lin

A view of a larva which allows you to see the textured surface of the head capsule, which is a characteristic of all larvae belonging to the genus Dynastes. Some other dynastine genera, such as Strategus, have a somewhat smoother, lighter colored head by comparison. The head capsule, which is quite rigid, is one of only a few parts of the larva's body which are not capable of expansion and only increase in size upon molting to the next instar.

Photo courtesy of Fan Lin.

Below are some excellent photos of a large male pupa of Dynastes hercules. Normally, the pupa is encased within a protective cell composed of wood particles. Here, it has been removed for observation and photography. It is still possible for the pupa to to successfully transform to the adult stage even though it has been removed from its natural cell, but a properly shaped chamber must be provided in order for this to be successful. Therefore, only experienced hobbyists should attempt to remove a pupa from its original cell, as this is a very delicate process and the pupa can easily be damaged by careless handling.

A ventral view of a D. hercules pupa. Note how the legs are folded against the body.

Photo courtesy of J. Lai.

Dynastes hercules pupa (male) - Image © J. Lai

A side view of the pupa. Here, you can easily see the formation of both the thoracic and cephalic horns.

Photo courtesy of
J. Lai.

A close up of the anterior section of the same pupa. Even the small projections which stem from the underside of the thoracic horn can be seen.

Photo courtesy of J. Lai.

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