Eastern Hercules Beetle

Eastern Hercules Beetle is the largest beetle in the Eastern United States. They grow over two inches long.

Eastern Hercules Beetle are about 1-½ to 2-½ inches long and colored yellowish or greenish-gray with brown to black spots, rarely are they reddish- brown. Males have three projections on the shield behind the head (pronotum) with the central one the longest and nearly meeting an additional projection on the head. Females have only small raised area in place of the horns. Larvae are large C-shaped grubs like huge June beetles.

Adults are thought to feed mostly on rotten fruits and sap, and the larvae on rotting wood, but relatively little is known of their habits.This species emits a foul odor to discourage predators but often falls prey to larger insectivores like crows and owls. Adult beetles are attracted to light and are often seen at night around streetlights and the large mercury vapor lamps in shopping centers. Eastern Hercules Beetle, giant stag beetles feed on decaying wood when they are grubs and they are food to many forest mammals and birds. .

Life Cycle: Eastern Hercules Beetles have “complete” metamorphosis with egg, larval, pupal, and adult stages. Female beetles lay eggs directly into the soil during warm months. Click here to see a picture of a Hercules beetle egg.

Eastern Hercules Beetles have “complete” metamorphosis with egg, larval, pupal, and adult stages. Female beetles lay eggs directly into the soil during warm months. Click here to see a picture of a Hercules beetle egg. adults emerge from pupae after only a few weeks, but will remain underground until spring. Upon emerging from the ground, females will begin emitting pheromones to attract male beetles. After mating, females burrow into the ground to lay eggs.

Damage: Eastern Hercules Beetles do little or no economic damage. They are, instead, a lovely sight to see in our gardens (remember, beauty is in the eye of the beholder). Though these insects may appear foreboding and perhaps even terrifying, they are completely harmless and cannot bite or sting – and, unlike their African namesakes, they cannot gouge you with their horns.

If you ever have any bug related questions feel free to call us either at Beyond Pest Control. Once again, and I can’t stress this enough we are on call twenty four hours a day seven days a week to kill those bugs, we aren’t kidding whether you call us at 9 am or midnight we will be available to take your call and either get rid of the bug infestation, or answer any questions you may have concerning the bug issue. I can honestly guarantee that there will be someone to answer that call. We make it our business to make you bug free!

If you have any questions about pest control check out the rest of our website or go to our blog at http://nypestpro.blogspot.com.

Beyond Pest Control.

Our pest control specialists service all NYC boroughs, including Queens, Brooklyn, Bronx, Manhattan, Long Island (both Nassau & Suffolk counties), Staten Island and even both Westchester & Rockland counties.