Description

The longhorn beetle (Dynastes hercules) is the largest and heaviest beetle in the Caribbean. It is found in Guadeloupe and Dominica and is also one of the largest beetles in the world, measuring 57 to 175 millimeters.

Males have two horn-like pincers: one extending from the thorax and the other from the head. The size of the head horn can vary significantly. The elytra (the hardened front wings) are glossy, yellow with black spots, and sometimes entirely black. Females have no horns and are brown with reddish hair. Females lay their eggs in decaying tree trunks. The larval stage lasts between 13 and 36 months, and the larvae are melolonthiform—large, curved white grubs with visible legs.

This species is nicknamed the “sawyer” due to the shape of its horn and a local belief that it cuts tree branches, although in reality, the branches are “sawed” by the longhorn beetle Oncideres amputator.

Habitat :

The species inhabits humid forests, both mesophilic and hygrophilic. Adults are nocturnal and are attracted to lights, flying toward them at the beginning of the night. The adult diet is not well-known in the wild, but in captivity, they eat fruits.

Threats :

Continuous lighting near forested areas is the main threat to this species, even though its forest habitat is well-preserved within protected areas.