Rhinoceros beetle - xylotrupes ulysses australicus

24 Jan, 2009
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Here's what we affectionately call a 'rhino' beetle - he hasn't quite tucked his wings in yet (look carefully at the back). This beetle belongs to the same family as the Christmas beetle I showed earlier - they are 'scarabs'. But the rhino beetle feasts on the sap of the young shoots of the poinciana trees and you will often find them hanging around these trees! They are not much fun when they land in your hair!!!!

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Tasteyg

Do you do the freaky dance when they land in your hair? lol I would!

24 Jan, 2009

Greenthumb

Whoa. We've a big beetle and I do the freaky dance. Are they harmful to the pionciana? Our spruce beetle devistates whole forests.

24 Jan, 2009

Bernieh

Greenthumb if there's enough of them and they are munching on a young poinciana it is devastating, but most of the poincianas are pretty hardy and survive.

24 Jan, 2009

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