Bug FAQMoellenkampi Beetle
Chalcosoma moellenkampi · Order: Coleoptera · Family: Scarabaeidae
Also called: Bornean Three-Horned Beetle, Rhinoceros beetle, Three-horned Rhinoceros Beetle
Source: Wikipedia
Males can reach up to 110 mm with three large horns and a metallic shine. Females are much smaller (45 to 60 mm) and lack horns. They live in Borneo’s rainforests and palm plantations; females lay eggs in soil or rotting logs.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Males have two forward-projecting horns on the thorax and one upward horn on the head. The beetle’s body has a metallic copper-like luster.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Males can be as long as 110 mm from horn tip to elytra end. Females are 45 to 60 mm long and do not have horns.
Source: Wikipedia
Does it bite or sting?
Larvae are aggressive and may bite if touched.
Source: Wikipedia
How to get rid of it
Males cannot share a vivarium because they fight violently.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
In the wild they inhabit rainforests and palm plantations. Females burrow into soil or rotting hardwood logs to lay eggs.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Adults gather at wounded trees to drink sap.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Larvae pass through three stages and can weigh up to 100 g. Development from egg to adult takes 13 to 18 months.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults disperse by flying at night.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
The species is restricted to the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
Females of Chalcosoma species look very similar and need specialist identification.
Source: Wikipedia
More photos
Questions people ask
Where are these beetles found?
They are native to Borneo’s rainforests and palm plantations.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Scarabaeidae)
Japanese BeetlePopillia japonicaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Common Green June BeetleCotinis nitidaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Phyllophaga crinitaPhyllophaga crinitaDamages trees, gardens or crops
European Rose ChaferCetonia aurata
Mediterranean Spotted ChaferOxythyrea funestaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Oriental BeetleExomala orientalisDamages trees, gardens or cropsSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moellenkampi_beetle
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.