Moon horned beetle - stmartins.at

Close-up of a shiny black moon horn beetle.

Dear explorer, dear explorers,

Of course, there are no wild rhinos here in Seewinkel , but there is something similar:

We are talking about the so-called moon horn beetle! It has a characteristic feature that is known from the rhinoceros, but beware - there is also a risk of confusion.

But now I don't want to keep you any longer. Just read more interesting facts about me and my fellow species on the following pages.

_{Header image: Siga, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons}_{Image credit: Jacek Proszyk, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons}

Facts

The beetles reach a body size of 16 to 24 millimeters. With a good food supply, the beetles, especially males that have not yet mated, can live for more than a year.

Appearance

Siga, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The moonbeam beetle reaches a body size of 16 to 24 millimeters. It is shiny black in color and has a misshapen dorsal shield. The males have a characteristic horn, which is reminiscent of a rhinoceros horn and gives the beetle its name.

There is a risk of confusion primarily with the very similar-looking Spanish moonbeam beetle(Copris hispanus), which differs from Copris lunaris only in features that are not obvious at first glance. It can also be confused with the bull-headed dung beetle(Onthophagus taurus) or with the rhinoceros beetle, which is twice as large.

Food

The moonbeam beetle feeds on the excrement of various animals. It primarily feeds on cattle manure or rabbit droppings, but sometimes also on horse droppings.

Reproduction

Males and females care for their brood. The male transports droppings from cattle or rabbits into the brood chamber. There the female forms the droppings into balls, so-called brood pears, on which an egg is then laid. In one brood chamber, 7 to 8 brood pears are laid. The female monitors the development of the larvae and pupae for four months until the beetles hatch and regularly mends the brood bulbs so that they always retain their smooth surface and remain free of mold.

Habitat

It inhabits semi-arid and dry grasslands. The diversity of coprophagous organisms, i.e. animals that eat dung, is favored by the characteristic livestock communities. In 1993, an individual of Copris lunaris was found in Seewinkel .

Distribution

The moonbeam beetle is widespread throughout continental Europe except in the north-east.

Hazards

The moonbeam beetle is on the Red List of Threatened Species and is classified as critically endangered and is therefore strictly protected.

Observe

The moonbeam beetle can be observed in areas grazed by cattle or in locations with a high rabbit population. Due to its rarity, however, this is not easy and you need a lot of luck to spot this beetle.

Test your knowledge!

Discover a new species each month and, with a little luck, win a Seewinkel-Safari voucher for two.

Good luck with your participation and explorer greetings,
your nature experience team of the St. Martins Spa &Lodge

Conditions of participation:
The current competition will run until August 31, 2025 and the winner of a safari voucher for two people will be selected from all participants with the correct answer in camera. The winner will be notified by email . Cash redemption of the prize and legal recourse are excluded.