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  Hello. My name is Kay. Welcome to my web site, Kay's Beetle Breeding Hobby - A challenge to the rearing of the longest rhinoceros and stag beetle. As a hobbyist, I opened this site for sharing my breeding and rearing experiences with other beetle hobbyists around the world. Let's enjoy rearing the longest rhinoceros and stag beetle!

There are full of insects virtually everywhere in the world. Some of them come with beautiful colors. Despite their varied colors and shapes, the insect are not so much accepted as a pet. Indeed, far less than dogs and cats, birds, fishes, lizards, frogs or even snakes. Nevertheless, one can find people who like living insects.

Let's get back to rhinoceros and stag beetles. You would probably be the one who is particularly fond of these insects as you have had some trouble browsing my site this far. Some sources say that there are about 2,000 stag and 1,600 rhinoceros beetle species in the world. Among them, the longest rhinoceros and stag beetle species are my particular interests and I have bred or reared many giant rhinoceros and stag beetle species.
So, what rhinoceros and stag beetle are the longest?

Dynastes hercules is the king of all 1,600 rhinoceros beetle species - by far the longest of all. While there are 12 subspecies of this species, the longest is ssp. hercules of Guadeloupe - 172 mm is cited as the maximum length of a wild-caught male imago in a publication. Today, male imagoes of over 150-167 mm in length have been reared by some breeders or rearers in the author's country, Japan. To my knowledge, of all 1,600 living rhinoceros beetle species, there are only 10 species, the largest male imago of which reaches over 100 mm long in the wild; the brown letters are the maximum lengths and larval weights of bred ones cited from 'Breeders' Guinness Contest' in BE-KUWA, a beetle magazine in Japan as of May 2011:

  
1) Dynastes hercules (hercules: max. 172 mm, Yoshida; 167.7 mm; 150 grams);
   2)
Dynastes neptunus (neptunus: max. 160 mm, Lachaume; 147.6 mm; 130 grams);
   3)
Megasoma mars (max. 140 mm, Nagai; 132.7 mm);
   4)
Megasoma elephas (elephas: max. 137 mm, Williams; 130.9 mm; 155 grams);
   5)
Megasoma actaeon (max. 135 mm, Williams; 127.8 mm; 210 grams);
   6)
Chalcosoma chiron (janssensi: max. 133 mm, Nagai; 117.0 mm; 118 grams);
   7)
Megasoma gyas (gyas: max. 120 mm, Lachaume);
   8)
Dynastes satanas (max. 115 mm, Lachaume; 114.3 mm; 100+ grams);
   9)
Chalcosoma moellenkampi (max. 112 mm, Nagai; 98.4 mm); and
   10)
Chalcosoma atlas (hesperus: max. 108 mm, Nagai; 103.6 mm; 77 grams)
 
My BREEDING section focuses on the captive breeding and rearing of ssp. hercules. It is based on my own observation. Breeding and rearing techniques provided in the section can be applied to the breeding and rearing of many other dynastinae.

While among the rhinoceros beetles,
hercules is second to none for his length, Prosopocoilus giraffa is the longest of all 2,000 living stag beetle species - 124 mm is cited as the length of the longest male imago specimen that was wild-caught in Flores Is., Indonesia (ssp. keisukei). To my knowledge, of all 2,000 living stag beetle species, there are only 12 species, the largest male imago of which reaches over 100 mm long in the wild; the brown letters are the maximum lengths and larval weights of bred ones cited from 'Breeders' Guinness Contest' in BE-KUWA, a beetle magazine in Japan as of November 2011:

  
1) Prosopocoilus giraffa (keisukei: max. 124 mm, Nishiyama; 119.4 mm; 62 grams);
   2)
Hexarthrius mandibularis (sumatranus: max. 118.5 mm, Komori; 111.6 mm; 39 grams);
   3)
Dorcus titanus (palawanicus: max. 111.3 mm, Fujita; 111.0 mm; 68 grams);
   4)
Cyclommatus elaphus (max. 109.0 mm, Komori; 92.6 mm);
   5)
Hexarthrius rhinoceros (chaudoiri.: max. 109.0 mm, Fujita; 101.4 mm; 34 grams);
   6)
Prosopocoilus confucius (max. 107.9 mm, Fujita; 106.9 mm; 34 grams);
   7)
Odontolabis dalmanni (intermedia: max. 106.0 mm, Fujita; 99.8 mm; 50 grams);
   8)
Odontolabis burmeisteri (max. 105.0 mm, Fujita; 109.2 mm; 57 grams);
   9)
Odontolabis alces (max. 104.3 mm, Fujita; 91.5 mm; 59 grams);
   10)
Dorcus alcides (max. 102.0 mm, Fujita; 98.3 mm; 42 grams);
   11)
Lucanus cerves (judaicus: max. 100.2 mm, Fujita; 99.3 mm; 37 grams); and
   12)
Cyclommatus metallifer (metallifer: max. 100.0 mm, Fujita; 95.8 mm; 13 grams)

My
BREEDING section focuses on the captive breeding and rearing of Prosopocoilus giraffa keisukei. It is based on my own observation. Breeding and rearing techniques provided in the section can be applied to the breeding and rearing of many other lucanidae.

Now, if you are interested in rearing the longest rhinoceros and stag beetle, let's do it!

Appendix: The following are data on other GIANT coleopterae of over 100 mm
                   (Beccaloni, pers. comm., 2006).
 
  
Carabidae
     
Mormolyce phyllodes 101mm  Beccaloni 2006
  
Cerambycidae
     
Acanthophorus serraticornis 115mm  Ghate, Gambhir & Rane 2004
     
Callipogon armillatus 130mm?
     
Callipogon senex 110mm?
     
Ctenoscelis coeus 120mm?
     
Macrodontia cervicornis 172mm  Nishiyama 2002
     
Macrodontia dejeani 122mm  Bleuzen 1994
     
Macrodontia batesi 101.5mm  Bleuzen 1994
     
Macrophysis luzona 105mm+? 
     
Macrotoma luzorum 103.5mm  Holotype in Natural History Museum, London
     
Rhaphipodus hopei 100mm?
     
Titanus giganteus 167mm  Bleuzen 1994
     
Xixuthrus microcerus 120mm+?
     
Xixuthrus heros 150mm  Yanega 2006
     
Xixuthrus terribilis 138mm  Specimen in Natural History Museum, London
  
Cetoninae
     
Goliathus cacicus 100mm  Lachaume 1983
     
Goliathus goliatus 110mm  Lachaume 1983
     
Goliahtus orientalis 100mm  Lachaume 1983
     
Goliahtus regius 110mm  Lachaume 1983

It should be noted that the aforesaid
Dynastinae and Lucanidae species, but not Carabidae, Cerambycidae and Cetoninae, are allowed to keep or breed and rear under the laws of the author's country, Japan. Please be advised to check the legal status of living beetles that you want to keep or breed and rear in accordance with the laws of your country and others.
 
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