The Eastern Hercules Beetle is North America's largest beetle, with males bearing enormous thoracic horns used for combat over females. Males can reach 2.5 inches and are pasty greenish-gray with black mottling, changing color with humidity. The massive white larva can take two years to develop inside rotting hardwood logs.
Best time to see a Eastern Hercules Beetle
The best time to see a Eastern Hercules Beetle is June–July, when about 72% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 11,411 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
Not certain it is a Eastern Hercules Beetle? What bug is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.
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