Diet

• Adults: Primarily feed on fruit, plant sap and flowers. They may also be attracted to fermenting or damaged fruit.

• Larvae: Develop underground and feed mainly on roots and decaying plant material. The larval stage can last several months.

• Adults are particularly active at night and are often attracted to artificial lights.

Range

• Strategus is a genus of rhinoceros beetles in the family Scarabaeidae, subfamily Dynastinae, tribe Oryctini.

• The genus is primarily Neotropical, with species occurring from the southern United States through Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and South America. Mexico has several species.

• Around Zihuatanejo, Strategus is fairly common, particularly during the rainy season. A local record from Agua de Correa demonstrates its occurrence in the immediate Zihuatanejo area.

Habitat

• Found in tropical dry forest, tropical deciduous forest, woodland, gardens, agricultural areas and disturbed vegetation.

• Adults are strongly associated with warm summer and rainy-season conditions.

• Around Zihuatanejo, one of the best ways to encounter them is to check outdoor lights after dark, particularly during warm, humid nights.

• Rotting wood and organic-rich soil provide important habitat for the developing larvae. Strategus aloeus has also been collected at lights and from rotting wood in Guerrero.

Size

• Adult length: approximately 25–40 mm (1.0–1.6 in), excluding the horns.

• Body robust, heavy and glossy, usually dark reddish-brown to nearly black.

• Male Strategus are particularly impressive: major males have three prominent thoracic horns, giving them a superficial resemblance to a miniature three-horned dinosaur.

• Females have only a short, inconspicuous horn, while smaller males have reduced horns.