The Atlas Beetle is named after Atlas, who held the sky. Atlas Beetles lift 850 times their weight. Let’s explore them. Male Atlas Beetles have horns to fight over females. Their larvae bite if touched. Atlas beetles live in Malaysia. They lift 4 grams, equal to a human lifting a truck. The wasp paralyzes Atlas beetle larvae to lay eggs.
In the mating season, males fight on trees with horns to mate. Tropical rainforests suit Atlas Beetles with warmth, rain and decaying wood to eat. The male has two curved and one straight horn. Females lack horns. Found in Asia, remarkable for size. Larvae fierce, bite if touched. Heavy to fly but launch off trees. Larvae fight over space and food.
Males fight other males to mate. Females smaller with no horns. Valuable dead or alive. Eat various foods. Rainforest perfect to complete life cycle. Known for striking beauty with glossy, iridescent color.
What is the difference between an Atlas beetle and a caucasus beetle?
The Atlas beetle differs from other Chalcosoma species by the broader end of the cephalic (head) horn. The Atlas beetle larva is renowned for its vicious behavior, which includes biting when handled. Males have specialised horns on their head and thorax that they use to fight with each other, to gain mating rights with females.
Caucasus beetles are the largest members of the Chalcosoma genus and are one of the largest species of beetles in all of Asia. Females are on the smaller side, usually reaching around 2 to 2.5 inches long.
Atlas beetles are herbivores throughout their life cycle, from larvae living within decaying wood to adults foraging on forest floor. They help maintain nutrient cycles, supporting growth of plants and other species in rainforest. Despite being powerful, beetle’s legs are also fragile and can break with ease.
You should keep male and female larvae at different temperatures to prevent growth issues. Keeping males at 77 to 79 °F accelerates their growth. Keep females at lower 70 to 72 °F temperatures, inhibiting larvae’s growth, allowing males to catch up. They live short lives that they can’t afford to wait for ideal mating conditions. Females have wedge-shaped heads for burrowing into soil and compost where she’ll lay her eggs.
Are Atlas beetles nocturnal?
Atlas beetles inhabit Southeast Asia’s rainforests where warm, humid climates occur. Males may measure 2.4 to 4.7 inches (60-120 mm), much larger and stronger than females. Two males battle with specialized head and thorax horns, establishing mating rights with smaller 25-60 mm (0.98 to 2.36 in) females. The Atlas beetle Chalcosoma atlas distinguish from similar Chalcosoma caucuses, bearing a broader-tipped head horn. Their larvae stay notoriously aggressive, able to bite if handled.
Generally nocturnal, an intriguing feature, Atlas beetles burrow in soil or hide under detritus by day, shunning light. After dark arises scavenging, foraging, and mating. Although not endangered, deforestation and habitat loss now threaten beetle populations.
Living up to its namesake Atlas, bearing the world, exceptional size and strength lets this beetle carry 850 times its weight. Less is known about specific subspecies inhabiting Sulawesi, Buton, Sumatran, and Malaysian rainforests. The largest islands showed greater variation.
Positioned within the animal kingdom, this beetle further classifies as an insect with segmented bodies and chitinous exoskeletons. It also falls under order Coleoptera, the most diverse grouping. Atlas beetles join the Scarabaeidae family of dung beetles and rose chafers, obtaining colorful metallic tones and distinctive clubbed antennae detectable when fanned or folded.
How much is a Atlas beetle?
The Atlas beetle is native to Southeast Asia. This species can grow up to four inches in length. The Atlas beetle has a long horn and vivid coloration.
The male Atlas beetles are around 60 – 130 mm long. The females are much smaller, around 25-60 mm long. Atlas beetle moves by jumping from one tree to another. They have limited flying ability that restricts their potential to cover longer distances by flying. Their flight speeds vary between 1-4 m/s. Their horns do not affect their flying speeds significantly. The Atlas beetle weight is estimated to be around 0.004 g. Yet it can lift up to 4 g which is 850 times its body weight.
Some expensive beetles are the Goliath beetle and the Atlas beetle. These beetles have large size and striking colors. They can cost up to several hundred dollars, depending on rarity and condition. Other valuable beetles include the Scarab beetle, the Titan beetle, and the Hercules beetle with stunning colors, impressive sizes and high price tags. The Atlas beetle can fetch up to $1,000. Other beetles, like the Hercules beetle, can be found for $20.
Yeah! The Atlas Beetle larvae are very fierce and may bite if touched. If there is a scare of food and shelter, the larvae fights each other to death.
The Atlas beetle can carry 4 grams in weight. They feed on rich compost, decaying wood and fruit like banana chunks.
While adult Atlas beetles do not bite, their larvae are aggressive.
The male Atlas Beetle has two upper cephalic horns that curve outwards and a third equally long lower horn that curves upwards. It resembles a spider due to its horns and legs. Minor males exist with significantly shorter horns and legs. They’re smaller than other males.
This Atlas beetle is mounted in a museum quality frame with fixtures for wall hanging. The frame is made from premium acrylic, with UV blocking glass. Each specimen is mounted on a 300 GSM card background with scientific and common name printed. The specimens are ethically sourced from conservation projects globally.