A few days ago I watched an interesting documentary on TV about the Titan Beetle (Titanus giganteus) which happens to be the largest beetle that can be found in the Amazon rainforest, and as you can imagine it is also the world´s biggest beetle. Adults can grow up to 6.5 inches (16.7 cm) in length (longer than some small adult Chihuahua dogs). It is said that their mandibles are capable of breaking pencils in half and could slash your finger to the bone. Now that is quite scary! However the good news is that in spite of its imposing size, large jaws, sharp spines, Titan's are quite harmless to humans. The adult Titan Beetles do not feed during their adult phase, they simply fly around to find mates and reproduce. The adults defend themselves by emitting a loud hissing sound when they are threatened. Titan beetles are nocturnal and are attracted to non-natural light.
Unfortunately, I cannot tell you what the juvenile look like because the larvae have never been found (its life history is still a mystery). It is assumed that they feed inside wood (below surface of the ground) and may take several years before emerging. Boreholes have been found in wood that indicate that the Titan Beetles grubs are two inches wide and up to a foot long. Like most inhabitants of the rainforest, this outstanding giant insect is endangered by the demolition of its forest home for timber and agriculture.
Unfortunately, I cannot tell you what the juvenile look like because the larvae have never been found (its life history is still a mystery). It is assumed that they feed inside wood (below surface of the ground) and may take several years before emerging. Boreholes have been found in wood that indicate that the Titan Beetles grubs are two inches wide and up to a foot long. Like most inhabitants of the rainforest, this outstanding giant insect is endangered by the demolition of its forest home for timber and agriculture.
Source: wikipedia
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