A dead beetle

Look what I turned up in the garden. A Rhinocerous beetle. This one happened to be dead and as they aren't so common, I'm keeping him to show the grandchildren on their next visit.

That meant I needed to find out a little about him...

• Rhinocerous beetles are one of the largest of all the insects.
• They are especially famous for being the strongest animal in the world!
• They are rainforest dwellers and a number of different species are found throughout the tropics.
• Our Australian one is the Xylotrupes gideon.
• Their fat, worm-like larvae can be the size of a man's thumb.
• Adult insects make an unusual clicking sound.
• This is another bush creature that can make a good pet.  They can live for several years and feed on fruit, rotten wood and other vegetation.

Reading this brought to mind one of my favourite childhood poems - the one by A.A. Milne called 'Forgiven', about Alexander, the pet beetle of Christopher Robin.  The words have been set to music and one of my treasures is a forty year old LP with this, and other Christopher Robin poems, being sung by Glenda Raymond.

When searching for the words on-line I found this other sung version, but it doesn't compare with my one.

I'm going to watch out for a live rhino beetle.  I'd like to keep one for a bit and listen for its sound.  If he's male he could be called either Gideon or Alexander II. 

I think he'll require something bigger than a match-box though.

Comments

[pablo]

They are rainforest dwellers? Yet I have also found one in my Kansas City neighborhood on the temperate and drought-besieged plains of North America. Perhaps mine is a different variety. Or perhaps mine was some child's pet that was disposed of after it had died.

Nice post, as always!

[Tabor]

I didn't know that rhinoceros beetles were rare. I do remember seeing one when I live in the South Pacific and was both repelled and fascinated by its size and beauty.

[Kit Hubert]

Happy hunting, Jude.. seems like where there's one there's likely to be another.
I was going to suggest that if you find one, you could keep it in a cricket cage, but on second thought.. it'd
have to be a mighty big cricket cage!

[Tjilpi]

When I was a kid I used to dare them to latch onto my little finger. I think I had worked out that their jaws were not jaws at all.

[kent Samuelson]

I'd like to buy a rhino beetle. Does anyone know where I can do this. I live in the US. Thanks.

[mariam kim]

Greetings to u from the middle east, arabia.
i was searching for info on centipede bites and google showed ur topic here on beetles. having read it, it reminds me of the time i got bit by a clicking black beetle here in the middle east,my leg where i got bit became so swallen i couldnt walk and a burning sensation running through my legs..definitly not fun. My fear of bugs from then on has been over the top and i itch at the thought of being near them. seeing the pic of the beetle on someones hand made me itch like crazy lol.
youve got a interesting blog here i have to say, its been a delight reading it.
Have urself a good day.
marhaba

[Liz & Louka]

I love that LP of songs from Christopher Robin - I had it as a child but I don't know what became of it.