Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Photo#73710
Hercules beetle grubs - Dynastes tityus

Hercules beetle grubs - Dynastes tityus
Tulsa Zoo, Tulsa County, Oklahoma, USA
November 21, 2003
I didn't see any good photos of baby hercules beetles, so I figured this was a good time to add one. These were uncovered during the construction of the zoo's new vet hospital. By the time someone came to tell me they were being unearthed, a member of the construction crew had already claimed most of them to feed to his fish at home. I set these up so they could finish growing and they all emerged as lovely adult beetles several months later.

How do you do that?
I find smaller grubs that look a lot like that from time to time. I had never thought about setting them up to finish growing. How do you go about doing that? I would love to know what the different grubs I have found would turn into!

Feed to his fish?
What is the guy keeping? Halibut?

Cool picture.

 
...
I was told he had oscars. At that point I wasn't really in the mood to talk to the guy, seeing as how he just took all the hercules grubs. In reality, I could have pushed the issue and had him give them back. Our policy about wild animals on zoo grounds is that they are protected and will remain on zoo grounds until THEY choose to leave. It was late in the day and wasn't worth the fight.

 
Would love to see
The finished product. Do you have pictures?