Horned Passalus (Bess Beetle)

Description:

One horn on head. Big mandibles. Last three segments of antennae form a lamellate club. Slow-moving and clumsy (when I put it on its back, it couldn't roll over and get up!), but very strong. Yellow-orange hairs covering middle legs, pronotum, and antennae. It was not happy about being picked up. Made a crazy squeaking sound and thrashed about from side to side while I was holding it. This is stridulation which the beetles make by rubbing their elytra (wings) against the abdomen. Has a reddish-orange mite near its right eye (see fourth photo) Cluster of smaller, paler mites on underside of thorax, near anterior coxae (see second photo).

Habitat:

Rotting wood in log pile. Found walking along in the surrounding leaf litter.

Notes:

This was an exciting find, even though they're common. Awesome beetle!