Japanese Rhinoceros Beetle - Pets and Breeding

Pets and Breeding

Many children in Japan buy or catch these bugs and breed them. Male and female insects will cost about 500 to 1000 yen (approximately five to ten US dollars). Male beetles normally die in the fall after mating many times, whereas female beetles normally die after laying eggs. The eggs are laid directly in the ground, then hatch into larva, which usually mature in a year. Japanese scientists are trying to find supplements to make the Japanese rhinoceros beetle mature faster and grow to a larger size. Disturbing the beetle during its pupal stage is known to cause deformations in the beetle's physiology and possibly cause the beetle to die of shock. Touching the Japanese rhinoceros beetle too suddenly, even after it has metamorphosed, may also cause the beetle to die of shock.