Hercules beetle - a great strong vegetarian | Nature VN

It is a type of rhinoceros beetle. This insect is named in honor of the ancient Greek hero Hercules. Ancient Demigod possessed remarkable strength and endurance. Hercules beetles are also very strong. He lifts a weight 850 times his own! Many scientists call it the most powerful insect on Earth. Humans, to be compared with the strength of beetles, would need to lift 65 tons. In addition, Hercules beetles are one of the largest insects. In size, it is only inferior to the titan woodcutter, who is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest in the world. However, despite Hercules' amazing size and strength, the giant lived only six months. Therefore, females in a short time should have time to lay as many eggs as possible. Most of the beetle's body is covered with hard elytra. They change color depending on the habitat. For a long time, the color change of beetles has been a subject of interest to scientists. During the study of this phenomenon, it was possible to identify enzymes that change the color of elytra depending on the humidity level of the environment. This allows the beetles to quickly adapt to climate change. Therefore, insects can be used as an indicator of environmental humidity levels. Its color can be golden, olive, olive brown, dark yellow with black spots. His entire body is covered with short, stiff villi. Insects prefer tropical and subtropical climates. It can be found in the forests of South and Central America. Today, these giants live in large numbers in Brazil, Venezuela, Bolivia, Mexico, Panama and the Caribbean islands. During the rainy season, beetles are found everywhere. Hercules beetles also live in Peru, Ecuador and other places with an abundance of rainforest. The main diet of this giant insect is rotten fruit that has fallen to the ground. The beetle can eat the same fruit for a long time until it drains all the nutrients from it. If necessary, he can also climb a tree in search of food with strong legs. It uses oats and wings to fly from tree to tree. The wingspan of his wings is 22 cm.