You feel moved by how much they’ve grown. (When the beetles) have grown, you feel happy. “For me, the enjoyment is in the whole breeding process. “You have to rear the eggs to get the larvae, then rear the larvae into adult beetles,” said Kawano. “The reason we’re starting this course is because beetle breeding has been (flagged) by business magazines as (a venture) that will continue to grow,” said Tsuyoshi Iwasaki, the college’s admissions officer.įor some, the beauty of breeding lies in the journey, not the destination. The three-year program will also teach students to find beetles in the wild and market their businesses. Next April, Sendai College of Eco and Animals plans to launch what it believes is Japan’s first insect breeding course. With such big profits to be made, it’s no surprise that more people are taking an interest. The highest price he’s garnered for one: $5,440. Kawano said his beetle empire is now bigger than his grape-farming business, and he built a breeding facility where he is raising 2,000 beetles. Now, he sells his own Hercules beetles and markets his HirokA wood-chip mix in Asia. His entry measured a gargantuan 6.7 inches. In 2015, Kawano tied the world record for the longest Hercules beetle as judged by Be-Kuwa magazine, known as the beetle breeder’s bible. The stench from the decomposing matter he mixed in 10-gallon vats was so strong that he lost some of his ability to smell. Kawano first learned to breed the beetles, then began experimenting with his own mixes of nutrient-rich wood chips for larvae. When he saw one for the first time, it was love at first sight. Kawano, a 51-year-old grape farmer from Miyazaki Prefecture, breeds Hercules beetles. Of the many breeders in Japan, there is perhaps no bigger name than Hirofumi Kawano, better known as HirokA. Hercules beetles typically run $470 to $938. Larger species, usually from Southeast Asia and South and Central America, are much pricier. Several smaller species are found in Japan, inhabiting wooded areas and feeding on tree sap. Stag beetles get as large as 4-1/2 inches and have large mandibles reminiscent of stag antlers. Rhinoceros beetles, known for their characteristic long horns, can grow to nearly 7 inches. Their lifespans run from six months to a year. They change into pupae, from which the adult insects emerge. The beetles start out as larvae and grow on a diet of decomposing wood and other organic matter. They’re aimed at families, and you can go along and see the beetles and touch them and learn about them.” Their uniquely shaped horn and large reddish-brown body make them a popular species in the beetle community. Trypoxylus dichotoma is a rhinoceros beetle species that originate from East Asia. Size Quantity Sold out This item will provide you with 1x Trypoxylus dichotoma larva. “There are lots of shows featuring beetles on TV … and there have also been a lot of exhibitions at museums. 34.00 Sold out Shipping calculated at checkout. “They’re really popular at the moment,” Ohara said, amid a backdrop of scratching sounds coming from rows of containers lining the racks in his store. Interest has surged in recent years, with families driving the trend. Rhinoceros and stag beetles have long been favorites with children and insect enthusiasts. Business has been so brisk that the pandemic has barely affected his bottom line. Ohara is the owner of Beetle On, a specialty store in Tokyo’s Ota Ward that sells stag beetles and rhinoceros beetles, of which the Hercules beetle is one species. He is holding a Hercules beetle, the longest species of beetle in the world, known to change hands for millions of yen. “You’ve got to be careful it doesn’t pinch your finger,” Ohara said. Its majestic top horn stretches out far past the tips of his fingers, and a smaller horn curves menacingly, primed on a set of powerful jaws. However, they won’t bite you or jab you with their horn.TOKYO > Akio Ohara reaches into a plastic container and scoops out a beetle bigger than his hand. That said, if you do pick one up, you might feel a little scratch from the small claws on the ends of its feet. Larvae feed in rotting hardwood stumps and on dead leaves and other rotting material.ĭespite their appearance, these beetles are not dangerous to people. These beetles are not pests, and little is known about adult feeding habits (though they have been observed to feed on tree bark and leaves). Larvae are grub-like and can get as big as an adult’s finger. The horns are used when males “fight” to mate with females. Males with larger horns were able to obtain more nourishment as larvae. Adult males have large horns on their heads, hence the common name rhinoceros beetles. These insects are a type of beetle in the family Scarabaeidae – the same family as June beetles, Japanese beetles, and dung beetles.Īdults can be nearly 3 inches long and are a tannish to greenish color with black spots. In South Carolina, there is only one Hercules beetle species, Dynastes tityus. The eastern Hercules beetle is one of the largest and heaviest insects in the U.S.
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