The numbers
Enclosure
20 × 20 cm
Diet
Adults: fruit (banana), beetle jelly; larvae eat compost/flake soil · Adults: fruit every 1-2 days; larvae: top up substrate as eaten
Temperature
22-28C
Humidity
50-70%
Identity
Order / Family
Coleoptera
IUCN / CITES
Not evaluated; not CITES
Difficulty
Beginner
Commonality
Very common; ideal first beetle; grubs sold as reptile feeders
Adult size
Body 20-30mm; orange-and-black
Lifespan
Larva ~2-4 mo; adult ~2-4 mo
Growth rate
Fast (quick, forgiving cycle)
Activity & niche
Diurnal; adults on fruit; larvae in compost/flake soil
Temperament
Placid, active; harmless
Venom / defense
Harmless - no venom; simply flies off if disturbed
Price (THB)
indicative ~50-300 (culture / grubs)
Enclosure and conditions
Temperature
22-28C
Humidity
50-70%
Min. enclosure
Tolerates group rearing: 10-15cm flake soil/compost; adults in a ventilated 20x20cm+ tub
Substrate
Larvae: flake soil / leaf-compost / rotten wood; adults: same + bark
Hides / decor / water
Bark, leaf litter, branches; light misting
Diet
Staple food
Adults: fruit (banana), beetle jelly; larvae eat compost/flake soil
Feeding frequency
Adults: fruit every 1-2 days; larvae: top up substrate as eaten
Behaviour and handling
Handling
Docile; easy to handle
Communal
Communal-tolerant (larvae + adults can be grouped) - unusual for beetles
Defense / stress signs
Quick flight, burrowing
Reproduction
Reproduction
Eggs -> L1-L3 -> pupa in cocoon -> adult; breeds readily in a tub
Common health problems
Common health issues
SignsMites/flies if too wet; overcrowding stunts grubs
Red flags / quarantine
SignsNon-native - never release; keep ventilated to avoid fungus gnats
Good to know
- So easy it is bred by the thousand as 'Pachnoda grubs' to feed reptiles and other inverts
Others in this group
Japanese rhinoceros beetleTrypoxylus dichotomus (formerly Allomyrina)Atlas beetleChalcosoma atlasSiamese rhinoceros / fighting beetleXylotrupes gideon (TH pops. often X. socrates)Giant stag beetleDorcus titanus (syn. Serrognathus titanus)Hercules beetleDynastes herculesGiant flower beetleMecynorhina torquataGiraffe stag beetleProsopocoilus giraffaCaucasus beetleChalcosoma chiron (formerly C. caucasus)