impressive horns are harmless to people

These very large beetles, Chalcosoma atlas, come from Tropical Asia, where they are often kept as pets. Their impressive horns are harmless to people, but help them to compete for a mate. Males will battle each other frequently for the right to mate with a female.

The large grubs develop in the ground while feeding on rotten logs, soil, and leaf litter. They can take 3 years to complete this stage. When they are large enough, they form a pupa and in a few months, the adult beetle emerges. Adult Atlas beetles feed on rotten fruit and sap.