Rose chafer

Rose chafer

We are delighted that Ingrid Hirsch-Leggewie has taken over the sponsorship of the rose chafer (Megalorrhina harrisi peregrina).

The species, named after the English entomologist Moses Harris, owes its genus name, which translates from Greek as "big nose" ("megalô-": big; "rhino-": nose), to the imposing horn forks on its head, which are only pronounced in the males.

Including this horn fork, which is often used in rivalry fights, the males reach a length of around 60 millimetres; the females are somewhat smaller. While the adult beetles feed mainly on the sap of injured trees and overripe fruit, the larvae are cannibalistic, especially in the early stages of development.

This subspecies of rose chafer beetles, which belong to the Scarabaeidae family, is widespread in the rainforest regions of West and East Africa from Cameroon via the Democratic Republic of Congo to Kenya and Tanzania.