at night and hide or burrow within the leaf litter during the day. The adult D. hercules beetles are capable of creating a 'huffing' sound, generated by stridulating their abdomen against their elytra to serve as a warning to predators. Like most insects, communication within the species is a mix of chemoreception, sight, and mechanical perception. Experiments on D. hercules have shown that a male placed in the vicinity of a female will immediately orient towards her and seek her out, suggesting chemical communication through strong sexual pheromones. Combat behavior between males It has been observed in wild habitat and in captivity that male D. hercules will engage in combat to win possession and mating rights to a female. Male Hercules beetles typically use their large horns to settle mating disputes; these fights can cause significant physical damage to the combatants but may also include possible damage to the female in the process. During fights, the males attempt to grab and pin their rival between the cephalic and thoracic horns to lift and throw them. The successful male wins mating rights with the female, though the beetles remain polygynandrous. Physical strength Reports suggest the Hercules beetle is able to carry up to 850 times its body mass. Actual measurements on a much smaller (and relatively stronger: see square-cube law) species of rhinoceros beetle shows a carrying capacity only up to 100 times their body mass, at which point they can barely move.The fantasticness of the given indicator is easily explained by the confusion in the order of the number presented. It should be read 85.0, and then everything comes in accordance with the said law. Relationship to humans Dynastes hercules does not negatively affect human activities, either as an agricultural pest or disease vector. The beetles can be kept as pets. Larvae excrement has been shown to contain β-mannanase, a bacteria synthesized enzyme that hydrolyzes hemicellulose that can be used in enzyme based cleaning products. β-mannanase has been successfully extracted and cloned from larvae fecal matter, suggesting that production of bio additive cleaning products may be feasible. Relationship to the environment Dynastes hercules is a beneficial contributor to the rain forest ecosystem, primarily during their larval stage where they are saproxylophagous. Feeding on rotting wood assists with biodegradation and cycling nutrients in the environment. See also List of largest insects References External links Family Scarabaeidae - Dynastes hercules The Breeding/Rearing