Name that beetle!

[spider]

Found this around 3 AM this morning, on a almost full moon. It is very heavy bodied and is around 1 1/2" +

ID and Scientific name would be GREATLY appreciated.
Also, feel free to contribute to this thread with your own beetle close ups with common name & scientific name

I have a set of three Beroflex extension tubes coming in for my Pentax K mount lens, so I should be able to produce much closer photos soon.

 

[myrmecophile]

Location where found and a side shot would be nice, although based on what I see here it appears to be a female Dynastes.

 

[spider]

Found in Central Mississippi and no side shots

 

[myrmecophile]

google up Dynastes tityus, see if that fits. The reason I am going that direction is the apparent bicolor pattern on the elytra. however my monitor is a bit off at time and the color may be an artifact of the monitor.

 

[super-pede]

Dat dere be a june bugger-me tinks

 

[BiologicalJewels]

looks like a D. tityus female, at 1 1/2" it is certainly possibly a small girl; and Mississippi is in it's range.

You may even be lucky and she has mated.

Here ya go
http://www.angelfire.com/oh2/USInsects/RearingDynastestityus.html

 

[Crysta]

AWWW she's so pretty, and that ain't no june bug.

i have a link here as well lol of your color.
http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/eastern_hercules_beetle.htm

 

[BiologicalJewels]

CP, just to point out something from the link, D. granti is actually larger than D. tityus, not the other way around

 

[Crysta]

CP, just to point out something from the link, D. granti is actually larger than D. tityus, not the other way around

Im going to be really slow here.....
where is the D. granti mentioned ( had to google it...lol!)
does the link I give show two different species?

 

[BiologicalJewels]

nope, I apologize for not being clear.
The link proposes D. tityus to be the largest in the United States:

"The Eastern Hercules Beetle is the largest beetle in the United States. They grow over two inches long."

But... D. granti is larger.

I had a total brain fart when writing that sentence... plus my syntax is always a bit off

 

[Bugs In Cyberspace]

Certain hobby afficionados will appreciate the clarification that D. granti is "longer", but not necessary "larger" than D. tityus if you want to judge on the basis of mass. Also, because D. granti is confined to fairly specific areas of the SW, and D. tityus more widespread throughout a larger portion of the country, it is fair to refer to D. tityus as the largest beetle as far as most of the US is concerned.

Of course, I will always side with D. granti as the largest beetle in the US because I frankly like the horn structure so much better (though it makes a much less reasonable, captive pet than its Eastern cousin).

Great find by the way! It may be a tad early in the season, but females are often already fertilized when found in the wild.

Typically, the black colors will lighten and begin to yellow as the beetle is exposed to dry air and ages. It would darken again as humidity is increased or it buries itself.