Pair of rose chafer beetles

Pair of rose chafer beetles

We are delighted that Marie-Luise Hülsmann and Hans Georg Classen have taken on a sponsorship for the third time! This time they have become sponsors of a pair of rose chafer beetles (Megalorrhina harrisi harrisi).

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 "weapon" often used in rivalry fights, the males reach a length of around 45 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. In addition, adult beetles sometimes eat their own eggs.
This subspecies of rose chafer beetles, which belong to the Scarabaeidae family, is widespread in the rainforest regions of East Africa from Tanzania to Kenya and Uganda.