Goliathus
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 Goliathus regius
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Goliathus albosignatus |
The Goliath beetles are the largest insects on Earth, if measured in terms of bulk and weight. They are members of subfamily Cetoniinae, within the scarab beetle family. Goliath beetles can be found in many of Africa's tropical forests, where they feed primarily on tree sap and fruit. Little appears to be known of the larval cycle in the wild, but in captivity, Goliathus beetles have been successfully reared from egg to adult using protein-rich foods such as commercial cat and dog food. Goliath beetles measure from 50–110 mm in length as adults, and can reach weights of up to 80-100 grams in the larval stage. The heavily armored adults are so large that when flying, they produce a sound akin to a toy helicopter in flight.
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[edit] Classification
Goliath beetles are members of the insect order Coleoptera, family Scarabaeidae, subfamily cetoniinae, tribe goliathini, genus Goliathus.
[edit] Habitat
All Goliathus species are native to Africa. They are primarily tropical, although one species, G albosignatus, is localized in the more temperate southeastern portion of Africa. It is in the continent's equatorial rain forests that the Goliath beetles have reached their greatest diversity.
[edit] Life cycle
The female Goliathus lays its eggs in the moist, decomposing wood of the dead rain forest trees. Goliathus larvae are somewhat unusual among cetoniine scarabs in the they have a greater preference for high protein foods than do those of most other genera. Pellets of dry or soft dog or cat food (buried in the rearing substrate once or twice weekly) provide a suitable diet for Goliathus larvae in captivity. However, a substrate of somewhat moistened, decayed leaves and wood should still be provided in order to create a suitable medium for larval growth. The larvae will also eat some of this material. Even under optimum conditions, the larvae take a number of months to mature fully because of the great size they attain. They are capable of growing up to 150mm in length, and reaching weights in excess of 100 grams. When maximum size is reached, the larva constructs a rather thin walled, hardened cell of surrounding materials in which it will undergo metamorphosis (pupation) to the adult state. Once building of this cocoon is completed, the larva transforms to the pupal stage, which is an intermediate phase between the larval and adult stages. During the pupal duration, the insect's tissues are broken down and re-organized into the form of the adult beetle. Once metamorphosis is complete, the adult Goliathus beetle sheds its pupal skin, breaks open its cocoon, locates a mate, and the entire life cycle starts over again. The adult beetles feed on materials rich in sugar, especially fruit and tree sap. Under captive conditions, adults can live for about a year after emerging from their pupal cells. Longevity in the wild is likely shorter on average due to factors such as predators. The adult phase concentrates solely on reproduction, and once this function is performed, the time of the adult beetle is limited. The same is true for the vast majority of other insect species.
[edit] External links
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