Four-spotted Dung Beetle vs Grant's Hercules Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Four-spotted Dung Beetle Grant's Hercules Beetle
Scientific Name Helictopleurus quadripunctatus Dynastes granti
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Scarabaeidae Dynastinae
Size 12-18 mm 40-80 mm
Habitat Farmland Mountains
Diet Dung Feeders Sap Feeders
Regions Madagascar Southwestern United States, Northern Mexico
Conservation Least Concern Not Evaluated

Four-spotted Dung Beetle

A medium-sized dung beetle with four distinctive pale spots on its dark elytra. It is one of the few Helictopleurus species that has adapted to open habitats alongside cattle.

💡

Did You Know?

It is one of only five Helictopleurus species that have successfully shifted from forest-dwelling lemur dung specialist to open-habitat cattle dung feeder.

Grant's Hercules Beetle

A large rhinoceros beetle from the American Southwest with mottled elytra. Males have a prominent horn used in territorial disputes.

💡

Did You Know?

They are attracted to lights at night and sometimes startle homeowners with their impressive size.