Hercules, the Greek demigod known for his immeasurable strength and efficiency in taking down monsters was picked as the name for this beetle with good reason. Do you remember watching the movie “A Bug’s Life?” Dim, that giant bug with great big horns on its face that could scare away any of the other bugs? That is basically what the Hercules Beetle looks like.

This beetle, like many other kinds of horned beetles, greatly resembles a rhino but with an added pair of legs and shrunk down to the size of a partly used pencil. These beetles are known to be among the largest of the scarab family and could give anyone who is afraid of insects a sudden fright.

When most people see cockroaches or larger insects, their first thought is “dear god, I hope it doesn’t fly.” If flying bugs are your weakness then stay far away from the Hercules Beetle because despite its large size they are actually spectacular aerial artists. Although if you are someone who is in awe of these creepy crawlers then it will zip and zoom right into your heart.

With quite an interesting diet, the Hercules Beetle is an avid consumer of rotting wood, decaying plants, and if they are feeling particularly adventurous, the Hercules Beetle may indulge itself with a small insect or two.

With such large and unique horns, one would would never think these horns might be used for romantic purposes.

When it comes to mating, male Hercules Beetles will fight with their horns for the right to mate with the female, giving love triangles a whole new meaning. It’s important to know that females don’t have these horns, an example of sexual dimorphism, or differences in appearance between males and females of the same species.

Contrary to spiders, males of this species tend to be much larger in size than the females. However, luckily for the ladies, the gentlemen aren’t very fond of cannibalism after mating.

With all these intimidating features, many might think that these beetles are dangerous to humans but the truth is quite the opposite. As a little girl, I was always fascinated with beetles and would have an amazing time watching them in their habitats or letting them crawl over my arms.

Safety is absolutely guaranteed with the Hercules Beetle, they can not cause any harm to humans with their horns and are not known to bite, but they may give a light scratch with their spiny legs.

At an affordable price, Hercules Beetles can be bought and maintained easily and will provide a fascinating and truly beautiful pet. With over 13 known species of the Hercules Beetle, you can choose the mighty, yet docile beast that best matches your personality.