Hercules beetles typically run $470 to $938. Larger species, usually from Southeast Asia and South and Central America, are much pricier. Several smaller species are found in Japan, inhabiting wooded areas and feeding on tree sap. Stag beetles get as large as 4-1/2 inches and have large mandibles reminiscent of stag antlers. Rhinoceros beetles, known for their characteristic long horns, can grow to nearly 7 inches. Their lifespans run from six months to a year. They change into pupae, from which the adult insects emerge. The beetles start out as larvae and grow on a diet of decomposing wood and other organic matter.
They’re aimed at families, and you can go along and see the beetles and touch them and learn about them.”
“There are lots of shows featuring beetles on TV … and there have also been a lot of exhibitions at museums. “They’re really popular at the moment,” Ohara said, amid a backdrop of scratching sounds coming from rows of containers lining the racks in his store. Interest has surged in recent years, with families driving the trend. Rhinoceros and stag beetles have long been favorites with children and insect enthusiasts.
Business has been so brisk that the pandemic has barely affected his bottom line. Ohara is the owner of Beetle On, a specialty store in Tokyo’s Ota Ward that sells stag beetles and rhinoceros beetles, of which the Hercules beetle is one species. He is holding a Hercules beetle, the longest species of beetle in the world, known to change hands for millions of yen. “You’ve got to be careful it doesn’t pinch your finger,” Ohara said. Its majestic top horn stretches out far past the tips of his fingers, and a smaller horn curves menacingly, primed on a set of powerful jaws.
TOKYO > Akio Ohara reaches into a plastic container and scoops out a beetle bigger than his hand.