European Rhinoceros Beetle

Oryctes nasicornis · Order: Coleoptera · Family: Scarabaeidae

No source yet on danger. We have no source yet on whether it bites, stings or damages anything.
European Rhinoceros Beetle
Photo: lugachev_vitaly, CC BY

The European rhinoceros beetle is a large beetle, 20 to 42 mm long, with reddish-brown glossy wing covers and a dark head and pronotum. Males have a long curved horn on the head, while females lack horns. It lives in decaying wood, the larvae feed on woody debris, and the whole life cycle takes 2 to 4 years, with adults appearing from late March to May and being active in June and July.

Source: Wikipedia

How to recognize it

The wing covers are reddish brown and glossy, and the head and pronotum are a slightly darker shade. Males have a long curved horn on the head; females have none.

Source: Wikipedia

Size

Adults measure between 20 and 42 mm, with some reaching up to 47 mm.

Source: Wikipedia

Where it lives

They are found on wood, and the large larvae live in rotting wood stumps and sawdust.

Source: Wikipedia

What it eats

Larvae feed on decaying woody material, especially non-resinous wood. Adult beetles do not feed, relying on reserves built up during the larval stage.

Source: Wikipedia

Life cycle

Development from egg to adult takes 2 to 4 years. Adults emerge from late March to May and live for a few months until autumn.

Source: Wikipedia

When you see it

Adults are most active in June and July, flying at dusk and night and attracted to lights.

Source: Wikipedia

Where it comes from

The species occurs throughout the Palaearctic region except the British Isles.

Source: Wikipedia

More photos

European Rhinoceros Beetle photo 3
Photo: Maxim Shashkov, CC BY

Same family (Scarabaeidae)

Japanese BeetleJapanese BeetlePopillia japonicaDamages trees, gardens or cropsCommon Green June BeetleCommon Green June BeetleCotinis nitidaDamages trees, gardens or cropsPhyllophaga crinitaPhyllophaga crinitaPhyllophaga crinitaDamages trees, gardens or cropsEuropean Rose ChaferEuropean Rose ChaferCetonia aurataMediterranean Spotted ChaferMediterranean Spotted ChaferOxythyrea funestaDamages trees, gardens or cropsOriental BeetleOriental BeetleExomala orientalisDamages trees, gardens or crops

Sources

  • Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_rhinoceros_beetle

Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia

Text written 2026-10-22 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.

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