Horns aren’t just for mammals like rhinos and bulls – the insect world has its fair share of horned bugs too! From beetles to caterpillars, horns and spikes seem to be a popular evolutionary adaptation among many creepy-crawlies. Let’s explore some of the most amazing horned insects out there
Why Do Bugs Grow Horns?
Insects develop horns for a variety of reasons:
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Defense – Horns and spines act as a deterrent against predators. Curling up into a spiky ball or appearing larger and more intimidating can help scare off anyone trying to make a meal out of them.
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Competition – Male beetles and other bugs use their horns to fight over mates. Longer, stronger horns help them defeat their rivals during the mating season.
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Camouflage – Some horns help insects blend in with their surroundings disguising them as twigs, bark, leaves or thorns.
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Display – Bright colors and exotic shapes attract mates and warn off competitors. Fancier horns mean more reproductive success.
Beetle Horns
Beetles sport some of the most impressive horns in the bug world. Here are a few standouts:
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Hercules Beetles get their name from the long, thick horns sported by males, which resemble the shape of Hercules’ club. They can grow over 6 inches long! Females lack horns.
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Rhinoceros Beetles are aptly named for the frontal horn they wield that resembles a rhino’s. Some can even lift 850 times their weight with this muscular horn!
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Stag Beetles have large mandibles that branch like a stag’s antlers. Despite their intimidating look, they don’t bite or sting.
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Longhorn Beetles have super long antennae that can exceed their own body length. The aptly named Elephant Beetle has horns that look like a tiny elephant’s tusks.
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Flower Beetles sport flashy, ornate horns used to wrestle each other for breeding sites on sap-filled trees.
Treehoppers and Leafhoppers
While most beetle horns grow from the head, treehoppers and leafhoppers grow horns from their backs:
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The Horned Treehopper has a short curved thorn that mimics the shape of a twig or leaf stem.
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Two-Horned Treehoppers look like mini bulls with a tiny horn on each side of the head.
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Showing off its name, the Tri-Horned Treehopper has three pointy horns in a row down its back.
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Horned Leafhoppers have a single spine projecting forward from the head, colored black against their green bodies.
Caterpillars with Headgear
It’s not just full-grown insects that cosplay as unicorns – caterpillar larvae like flaunting fancy horns too:
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Tomato Hornworms have a small red tail spine that wards off anyone trying to snack on them.
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Regal Moth Caterpillars sport rows of dangerous-looking black and red spikes from head to tail.
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The aptly named Unicorn Caterpillar has curvy black horns with white tips, resembling a tiny horse unicorn.
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Saddleback Caterpillars are covered in threatening brown and red tendrils tipped with venonous spines – don’t touch!
More Spine-Tingling Species
A few more of the craziest horned bugs include:
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Planthoppers like the Thorny Planthopper extend curved spikes from their rear that can be as long as their body.
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Horned Isopods are aquatic crustaceans with 14 spines lining their segmented bodies.
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Dragonfly-like Antlions wield massive pincer-like jaws tipped with spikes for capturing prey.
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Male Fruit Flies have horn-like sex combs on their forelegs used for mating rituals.
The bug world is full of unique evolutionary innovations, from the majestic horns of the Hercules Beetle to the fierce pincers of the Antlion. Many serve important purposes like courtship, defense, and disguise. Next time you come across an insect, take a closer look – you never know what horns or spines it might be hiding!
Rhinoceros Beetles – the full story
At first glance Rhinoceros or Rhino Beetles might seem a little antisocial, but they are not only harmless but truly fascinating. These quirky shiny-black beetles grow to around 6 or 7 cm in length so you will definitely see them when they fly about. In fact, they are Australia’s largest beetle.
Rhino Beetles only live in warm coastal tropical or subtropical climates, so in Australia they are mostly found in Queensland, the Northern Territory and northern New South Wales. If you go for a walk on a warm night in the tropics, you may even hear a Rhino Beetle’s distinctive hissing sound.
Rhino Beetles have a very unique appearance, but don’t judge a rhino on its looks. Even though they have big forked horns and tight gripping claws, they aren’t strong enough or mean enough to hurt a human.
You can help look after Rhino Beetles in your Backyard
Get to know your rhinos. If you see a big black beetle in your garden but it doesn’۪t have the characteristic horn, you may still have found a Rhino Beetle. Only the males have horns; they use them to fight with other males to win the attention of their favourite females. Especially during summer months, female Rhino Beetles release special hormones to attract the males.
It’s not just adult beetles that are big – Rhino Beetle babies are huge too. You will recognise them if you see one; they are c-shaped, white grubs with fine reddish hairs and a brown head. At full size, they can be up to 7 cm long and really plump. Rhino Beetle babies feed on decaying organic matter, so having a healthy compost bin in your backyard is a great way to attract female Rhino Beetles looking for somewhere to lay their eggs.
Like a lot of beetles and insects, Rhino Beetles are attracted to bright lights at night. You might find them collecting under your veranda lights or flying into your windows, so just turn off the lights or pull down the blinds to deter them.
Be a Backyard Buddy
Rhino Beetles get along so well with humans that they are even kept as pets in some parts of the world. But they’re not always as kind to each other as they are to us. In summer, you might see big groups of males getting together to fight. They hiss and push each other off trees with their horns to impress any nearby females.
Adult Rhino Beetles love Poinciana trees, so if you have one at or near your house you could see a huge number of Rhino Beetles getting together for a feast. It might look like they are eating quite a lot of the leaves if there is only one tasty tree in the neighbourhood for them to meet at, but they rarely do any lasting damage to a tree.
Some of the Rhino Beetle’۪s scarab relatives, like the cane beetle, have a bad reputation for damaging the roots of sugar cane crops, but Rhino Beetles and their babies don’۪t eat any part of sugar cane at all.
Rhino Beetles love:
- Organic mulch.
- Old fruit and veggies.
- Fresh young tree shoots, especially Poinciana after summer rains.
But they don’t like:
- Insecticides or pesticides.
- Cold or very dry climates.
- Love rivals, the source of many bitter tree-top battles.
Be a Buddy to Rhino Beetles
Try to:
- Plant a few Poinciana trees to bring rhino bugs into the area, and make sure you keep them healthy.
- Keep composting. Don’t waste all of your fruit and veggie scraps – they provide the perfect environment for nursing Rhino Beetle babies
Avoid:
- Picking up a Rhino Beetle when you have insect repellent on your skin. Rhinos might look tough, but the chemicals in insect repellents are definitely not rhino-friendly. Feel free to pick up a rhino buddy, just be gentle and wash your hands thoroughly first.
- Using pesticides in your garden. This won’t just stop any new rhinos from coming to check out your garden, it will make any who have already moved in feel very unwelcome.
- Being afraid. Even though they will hiss or look like they might pinch you with their horns and claws, Rhino Beetles can’t hurt humans. Their claws and horns just aren’t strong enough. If you pick up a beetle and it gets a little defensive and hissy, just put it down gently.
Don’t be surprised if Rhino Beetles:
- Start hissing. They make quite a loud sound by rubbing their wings against their abdomen when they get disturbed but it’s just a bit of beetle bravado; it’s nothing for you to be worried about unless you’re a Rhino Beetle too. The hiss is also a male beetle’s battle cry.
- Are hard to get off your clothes. If a Rhino Beetle lands on you, you might find it’s a bit hard to make it let go. The claws on the end of their legs are designed to help them hold on tight to leaves they are eating, but they seem to work just as well with clothes. If you try to pry them off, the beetle is likely to just hang on even tighter. The trick is to pat the beetle gently down its back and it will most likely just start walking off .
A few more Rhino Beetle facts
- Rhino Beetles are said to be the strongest animals on the planet. They are able to lift up to 850 times their own body weight. That’s like a human lifting up four double-decker buses filled with passengers.
- Rhino Beetle grubs are great at helping to aerate your lawn.
- They are also known as Elephant Beetles and are relatives of Christmas Beetles and Dung Beetles.
- Rhino Beetle horns might look solid but they are actually quite light. They are made of chitin just like the rest of the beetles’ exoskeleton, and are hollow and dry with no blood or muscle in them at all.
- Once they have reached adulthood, they only live for 2-4 months.
Everything You Didn’t Know About Giant Beetles
FAQ
What insects have horns?
Dynastinae or rhinoceros beetles are a subfamily of the scarab beetle family (Scarabaeidae). Other common names – some for particular groups of rhinoceros beetles – include Hercules beetles, unicorn beetles or horn beetles.
Is a rhino beetle harmful?
Although their horns may look ferocious, Rhino beetles can only pinch very weakly. Their mouth parts are used for feeding, and are so small they don’t pose a threat to humans. Rhino beetles are harmless and can be handled safely – although you should always wash your hands first so that you don’t harm the beetle.
What are the black bugs with horns?
All rhinoceros beetles are herbivorous, feeding on fruit, nectar, and tree sap that they tap with their horns. Such a gentle diet for a giant! The larvae eat decaying plant matter. Most Rhinoceros beetles are black, gray, or greenish in color, and some are covered in soft hairs.
What should I do if I find a rhino beetle?
If you find beetles or larvae, place them into a sealed hard plastic or glass container and store them your freezer. Use something to cover bare hands (glove, towel, paper). Take close-up and in-focus photos of distinguishing characteristics with a size reference.
What bugs have horns?
One of the common bright types of bugs with horns, Grant’s Hercules Beetle (Dynastes grantii) is a common species in North America. This beetle feeds on ash trees and can even damage them. It avoids predation by its bright color with or without spots that mimic bright tree bark. This is a bug with 2 horns.
What animals are horned beetles?
Find your favorite Animals! The horned beetle goes by many names, like rhinoceros, elephant, and atlas beetle. They are large insects with a very unique shape. They consist of around 1,500 species and 225 genera, but the most popular species are the Japanese rhinoceros beetle, atlas beetle, ox beetle, coconut beetle, and Eastern Hercules beetle.
What are the different types of beetles with horns?
Atlas Beetles are among the most popular types of beetles with horns based on their appearance. These beetles are large, commonly reaching a length of over 4 inches. 3 long horns are specific to the species. These are long curved horns used to flip and grab opponents efficiently.
Are beetles with horns aggressive?
Beetles with horns can use their horns to injure their opponents or to flip them over. Some beetles with horns raised in captivity are so aggressive they cannot be bred in the same container as they can kill each other constantly fighting with their horns. Here are some of the most common types of beetles with horns around the world 1.
What do beetles use their horns for?
They use their horns for various purposes, including fighting for mates and defending their territory. Join us as we explore 12 different beetle species with horns and delve into the intriguing world of these remarkable insects.
What is a horned beetle?
The horned beetle is one of the largest of all beetles found around the world; they can reach lengths of inches, which is about the size of an average human hand. These beetles are herbivores but have an intimidating appearance because of the horn-like projection on their heads.