I found this grub wandering across the floor of my workroom early in November.
Its size isn’t obvious from the photo but it was big, as insects go – about the size of my little finger. I recognised it as the larva (grub) of an Australian Rhinoceros Beetle, Xylotrupes australicus, which were reasonably common in our garden. Their common name comes from the males’ impressive horns, which they use when fighting over mating rights. The females, lacking the horns, look very different and are sometimes called Elephant Beetles.
How and why the grub got in to my room puzzled me but the room does open on to the garden so I didn’t think much of it. Six weeks later I found the surprising solution to the puzzle.
Continue reading “Rhinoceros beetle grub, lost”
