Eastern Hercules Beetle Dynastes tityus (Linnaeus, 1767)    
Kingdom Animalia   >   Phylum Arthropoda   >   Class Insecta   >   Order Coleoptera   >   Family Scarabaeidae   >   Genus Dynastes   

Status:

MBP has records of adults from June 23 through September 21.

Description:

Eastern Hercules Beetles are the heaviest of all North American beetles (BugGuide). The green coloration with black spots is distinctive. Males have two horns that are used to battle other males during mating season.

Where to find:

Often come into lights.

Relationships:

Larvae are raised in the heartwood of hardwoods.

There are 236 records in the project database.

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Eastern Hercules Beetles in Baltimore Co., Maryland (8/1/2020). (c) Pat Treece, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by ptreece via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A male Eastern Hercules Beetle in Montgomery Co., Maryland (6/28/2022). Photo by Jim Moore. (MBP list)

Eastern Hercules Beetle in Frederick Co., Maryland (7/15/2021). (c) Emilio Concari, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Emilio Concari. (MBP list)

A male Eastern Hercules Beetle in Harford Co., Maryland (7/23/2017). Photo by Josh Emm. (MBP list)

A male Eastern Hercules Beetle in Talbot Co., Maryland (6/24/2009). Photo by Jim Brighton. (MBP list)

A male Eastern Hercules Beetle in Cambridge, Maryland (7/1/2013). Photo by Scott Housten. (MBP list)

An Eastern Hercules Beetle in St. Mary's Co., Maryland (6/23/2017). Photo by Jane Kostenko. (MBP list)

An Eastern Hercules Beetle in Howard Co., Maryland (8/28/2016). Photo by Anthony VanSchoor. (MBP list)

An Eastern Hercules Beetle in Harford Co., Maryland (8/16/2017). Photo by Richard Crook. (MBP list)

An Eastern Hercules Beetle in Harford Co., Maryland (8/16/2018). Photo by Dave Webb. (MBP list)

A male Eastern Hercules Beetle in Cecil Co., Maryland (7/6/2012). Photo by Sean McCandless. (MBP list)

Eastern Hercules Beetle in Wicomico Co., Maryland (9/8/2017). (c) sanctalucia, some rights reserved (CC BY). Photo by sanctalucia via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A male Eastern Hercules Beetle in Dorchester Co., Maryland (7/1/2013). Photo by Scott Housten. (MBP list)

Eastern Hercules Beetle in Howard Co., Maryland (7/15/2017). (c) Timothy Reichard, all rights reserved. Photo by Timothy Reichard. (MBP list)

Eastern Hercules Beetle in St. Mary's Co., Maryland (7/9/2021). (c) Benji Beluga, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Ben Springer. (MBP list)

An Eastern Hercules Beetle in Prince George's Co., Maryland (7/2/2021). Photo by Barbara Thurlow. (MBP list)

An Eastern Hercules Beetle in Howard Co., Maryland (7/15/2017). Photo by Sue Muller. (MBP list)

Eastern Hercules Beetle in Montgomery Co., Maryland (7/6/2021). (c) amyt1970, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by amyt1970 via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A female Eastern Hercules Beetle in Harford Co., Maryland (7/18/2019). Photo by Dave Webb. (MBP list)

Eastern Hercules Beetle in Montgomery Co., Maryland (7/11/2021). (c) bigpicture2, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by bigpicture2 via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A male Eastern Hercules Beetle in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (8/9/2019). Photo by Robert Aguilar, SERC. (MBP list)

Eastern Hercules Beetle in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (6/15/2022). (c) trinectes, all rights reserved. Photo by Robert Aguilar, SERC. (MBP list)

A male Eastern Hercules Beetle specimen collected at Dundee Creek Marina, Baltimore Co., Maryland (summer 1999). Photo by Mike Lathroum. (MBP list)

Eastern Hercules Beetle in Howard Co., Maryland (7/23/2016). (c) Timothy Reichard, all rights reserved. Photo by Timothy Reichard. (MBP list)

An Eastern Hercules Beetle in Howard Co., Maryland (6/16/2018). Photo by Kurt Schwarz. (MBP list)

Eastern Hercules Beetle in Frederick Co., Maryland (7/15/2021). (c) Emilio Concari, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Emilio Concari. (MBP list)

An Eastern Hercules Beetle in Caroline Co., Maryland (7/14/2020). Photo by Dave Webb. (MBP list)

A female Eastern Hercules Beetle in Kent Co., Maryland (7/14/2015). Photo by Barbara Ellis. (MBP list)

A female Eastern Hercules Beetle in Calvert Co., Maryland (7/11/2016). Photo by Tyler Bell. (MBP list)

Eastern Hercules Beetle in St. Mary's Co., Maryland (8/22/2021). (c) jtylerbell, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Tyler Bell. (MBP list)

A female Eastern Hercules Beetle in Maryland. Photo by USGS PWRC. (MBP list)

Eastern Hercules Beetle in St. Mary's Co., Maryland (6/26/2020). (c) jtylerbell, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Tyler Bell. (MBP list)

A female Eastern Hercules Beetle in Maryland. Photo by USGS PWRC. (MBP list)

A female Eastern Hercules Beetle in Maryland. Photo by USGS PWRC. (MBP list)

Eastern Hercules Beetle in Dorchester Co., Maryland (6/28/2017). (c) Jesse Fleri, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Jesse Fleri via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Eastern Hercules Beetle in Dorchester Co., Maryland (6/28/2017). (c) Jesse Fleri, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Jesse Fleri via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Eastern Hercules Beetle in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (7/4/2018). Photo by Coreen Weilminster. (MBP list)

A female Eastern Hercules Beetle in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (8/13/2019). Photo by Lynn Strauss. (MBP list)

An Eastern Hercules Beetle larvae in Howard Co., Maryland (4/23/2013). Photo by Bonnie Ott. (MBP list)

The elytrum of an Eastern Hercules Beetle found in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (9/21/2014). Photo by Matt Grey. (MBP list)

Eastern Hercules Beetles in Baltimore Co., Maryland (7/21/2020). (c) Rin Wolfe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by rinwolfe via iNaturalist. (MBP list)


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