Triceratops Beetle

Description:

Sometimes called the “triceratops beetle,” Phileurus truncatus (Palisot de Beauvois) (32.0 to 38.0 mm) is a large, robust insect. Both males and females have large and distinct horns on the head.

Habitat:

This species occurs from Virginia south to Florida, west to Tennessee and southeastern Arizona. Adults are typically encountered at lights during the summer, but are seldom common. They occasionally enter homes through chimneys, which suggests that they may be associated with tree holes. The larval stages have yet to be described, but the pupae have been found under the bark of a rotting oak stump.