The Hercules Beetle and Its Captive Breeding and Rearing
By Kay
If you live in a place where you can get enough natural food for species which you want to breed or rear, please skip this chapter. The natural food would be the best choice.
For those of you who are unable to access either the natural food or the ready-made substrates, I introduce a good enough alternative. It is basically the same as substrates for rearing stag beetle larvae since many of the rhinoceros beetle larvae feed on rotting wood in the wild. See in Prosopocoilus giraffa keisukei: A SUBSTRATE FOR REARING LUCANIDAE for a recipe of the substrate. It serves both as breeding and rearing substrate for rhinoceros beetles.
Please be aware that the kinsho or kinshi-bin substrate good for rearing stag beetle larvae is not suitable for rearing rhinoceros beetle larvae.
Tips to attain a maximum-length male imago of ssp. hercules
1) Obtain a pair of as large imagoes as possible for oviposition;
2) Ideal rearing environment temperatures are 20-25 (?) degrees Celsius, or
those in the larvae's habitats in Guadeloupe. (Option: Use of an incubator is
effective.);
3) Rear as many larvae as possible. When they have become early mid-L3,
choose several larger male larvae to rear under the optimum conditions;
4) Keep average-weight, average head-sized male larvae singly in containers of about 10
liter capacity. For heavier-weight, larger head-sized male larvae (100 grams +), you can
use larger conrainers, preferably, with good heat conductance
(e.g. glass container with a capacity of 20 liters or more);
5) Attain a male larva of 150 grams or more in weight;
6) Keep changing substrates in a three-month interval for 10 liter containers.
(For containers of 20 liters or more, a more than three-month interval may be good);
7) Avoid pressing substrate so as not to disturb the air exchange;
8) Keep the substrate's moisture level sufficient;
9) Keep rearing containers in a dark, quiet and well-ventilated place;
10) Keep rearing containers apart;
11) Avoid touching rearing containers unless necessary; and
12) After attaining the imagoes, select the largest male and female for the next-generation
breeding. If necessary, cross-breed with a large imago of a different 'blood line'.
Notice
�� Dynastes hercules are importable to the author's country, Japan, and can be kept or bred
and reared there as well.
�� If you want to breed or rear this species, please be advised to check its legal status in
your country and others.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1) FUJITA, H., et al. 2007. BE-KUWA 24: 132-135
2) KURIBAYASHI, S. 2006. Quest for the World's Largest Beetle - Hercules.
A TV program by NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation), Tokyo.
3) NAGAI, S. 2006. A Pictorial Guide on Genus Dynastes. BE-KUWA 18: 22-31
4) FUJITA, H., et al. 2005. Beetle Breeders' Maximum Records. BE-KUWA 14: 110-111.
5) NAGAI, S. 2002. A Pictorial Guide on Dynastes hercules. BE-KUWA 5: 8-9.
6) ISHIYONE, T. 2001. Wonderland Beetles 1. Nara Ookuwa Center, Nara.
7) UNNO, K. 2000. BEETLES. Data House, Tokyo.
8) KOJIMA, H. 2000. Breeding Technique of Lucanid Beetles. Mushi-sha, Tokyo.
