Community identification

Hercules beetle (female or related rhinoceros beetle)

Dynastes sp. (likely Dynastes tityus)

Order & Family: Coleoptera; Scarabaeidae (subfamily Dynastinae)
Size: About 25–60 mm long, depending on species and sex; females are typically shorter and lack the male’s large horn.

Natural Habitat

Woodlands, forests, and wooded suburban areas, especially around decaying logs and leaf litter in eastern North America.

Larvae consume rotting wood and organic soil debris. Adults mainly eat sap, fruit, and plant juices, often feeding little.

Mostly nocturnal and attracted to lights; adults emerge in warm months, while larvae develop for one to two years in decaying wood or soil.

Harmless to people and does not sting or bite defensively. Larvae aid decomposition and nutrient cycling; adults may occasionally damage soft fruit.