European rhinoceros beetle
The European rhinoceros beetle is a large flying beetle belonging to the subfamily Dynastinae.
Subspecies
Oryctes nasicornis afghanistanicus Endrödi, 1938Oryctes nasicornis chersonensis Minck, 1915Oryctes nasicornis corniculatus Villa & Villa, 1833Oryctes nasicornis edithae Endrödi, 1938Oryctes nasicornis grypus Oryctes nasicornis hindenburgi Minck, 1915Oryctes nasicornis holdhausi Minck, 1914Oryctes nasicornis illigeri Minck, 1915Oryctes nasicornis kuntzeni Minck, 1914Oryctes nasicornis latipennis Motschulsky, 1845Oryctes nasicornis mariei Oryctes nasicornis nasicornis Oryctes nasicornis ondrejanus Minck, 1916Oryctes nasicornis polonicus Minck, 1916Oryctes nasicornis przevalskii Semenow & Medvedev, 1932Oryctes nasicornis punctipennis Motschulsky, 1860Oryctes nasicornis shiraticus Endrödi & Petrovitz, 1974Oryctes nasicornis transcaspicus Endrödi, 1938Oryctes nasicornis turkestanicus Minck, 1915Description
One of the largest beetles found in Europe, Oryctes nasicornis reach a length of, with a maximum of. The elytra are reddish brown with a glazed appearance, while the head and pronotum are slightly darker. The underside of the body and the legs are covered with long red hair. It is a sexually dimorphic species. The male's head is topped by a long curved horn, while the females have no horns.Life cycle
The larvae grow in decaying plants feeding on woody debris, generally non-resinous. They can reach a length of. The development period lasts 2 to 4 years. The adult’s size is influenced by the quality and abundance of food.The mammoth wasp is a parasitoid of O. nasicornis larvae. The female wasp lays one egg inside the beetle larva; when the egg hatches, the wasp larva will feed on the host.
The adult beetle emerges between the end of March to May, and lives for a few months until autumn. It occurs mainly during the months of June and July and is very active, flying at dusk and by night, attracted by lights. In this stage they do not feed, consuming only the reserves accumulated during the larval stages.
Distribution and habitat
Oryctes nasicornis inhabits the Palaearctic region, excluding the British Isles. It is the only representative of the Dynastinae family found in Northern Europe. It is widespread in the Mediterranean basin up to Pakistan, the Near East and North Africa.The rhinoceros beetle lives on wood, and the large larvae can be found in rotting wood stumps and around sawdust. At the margin of its distribution, the beetle is often found in connection with sawmills and horse racing tracks.