Rhinoceros beetle

Description:

Xyloryctes jamaicensis, sometimes called the “rhinoceros beetle” because of the prominent “horn” found on males, can be found from Connecticut to Arizona. Adults, among the largest of the US scarabs at up to 2 cm in length, are slow moving and rarely given to flight.

Habitat:

Larvae are white C-shaped grubs with a brown sclerotized head and well developed mandibles, which allow them to feed on the roots of ash trees, their primary food source. Because this species favors the ash tree as its food source, it is not a great nuisance to domesticated crops nor to decorative plants.