Elephant Beetle

The Elephant Beetle (Megasoma elephas) is a member of the family Scarabaeidae and the subfamily Dynastinae. They are Neotropical rhinoceros beetles. They are located in southern Mexico, Central America, and South American rainforests.

Elephant beetles have a covering of tiny, microscopic hairs and are completely black in appearance. The beetle's elytra have extremely dense hair growth. The beetle's body is colored yellow by the hairs. Males have two horns that stick out of their heads and one that sticks out of their prothorax. Females are hornless. The males compete for food and mates while using their horns for defense. Elephant beetles range in size from 7 to 12 cm; males can occasionally be even larger. Males typically outweigh girls by a factor of two to three.