Fun Atlas Beetle Facts For Kids

Atlas beetles have always been an interesting species to human beings. Their scientific name is Atlas beetle Chalcosoma atlas which signifies that they belong to the Chalcosoma species. Collecting them is a hobby that most people enjoy. Their attractive and strong body makes them very popular amongst humans. Their exoskeleton comes in different colors which is also interesting to the collectors. Atlas beetles are mostly found in Southeast Asia, primarily in Malaysia. They look absolutely spectacular and are extremely strong creatures. Atlas beetle larvae are known to be very aggressive and will bite anyone trying to touch them. The male Atlas beetles are almost twice the size of a female beetle. Atlas beetles use their horns and strength to dig deep into the leaf litter to avoid predators. An Atlas beetle is sometimes also referred to as a Rhino beetle. Read on to discover many facts about the wonder Atlas beetle Chalcosoma atlas. After you have read this article on Atlas beetles, check out our articles on stag beetle and click beetle as well.
 

What type of animal is an Atlas beetle?

The Atlas beetle is a type of insect whose scientific name is Atlas beetle Chalcosoma atlas. In some places, their scientific name is Beetle Chalcosoma Atlas. These beetles are similar to other beetles. Chalcosoma atlas beetles are anthropoids belonging to the Phylum Arthropoda. The Chalcosoma atlas beetle is differentiated from other Chalcosoma species due to their broader horns.

What class of animal does an Atlas beetle belong to?

The Atlas beetle belongs to the class Insecta and Phylum Arthropoda. It is an extremely huge beetle species in the family Scarabaeidae. Arthropods have a hard exoskeleton which protects them from predators and other factors that can harm their body. Also, the males have a strong body with specialized horns on their head and thorax which they use to fight other males for mating rights.

How many Atlas beetles are there in the world?

There are almost 10 quintillion insects in the world out of which there are only 2.3 million beetles and the number of beetle Chalcosoma atlas is estimated at around a few thousand, mainly concentrated in Southeast Asia and Malaysia.

Where does an Atlas beetle live?

The Atlas beetle is mostly present in the forests of Malaysia. They are also seen in captivity and at homes where they make a good pet for collectors.

What is an Atlas beetle's habitat?

The Atlas beetle comes from southern and tropical Asia, especially from Malaysia. They are found in the tropical rain forests in Southeast Asia.

Who do Atlas beetles live with?

The Atlas beetles live on their own in the forests of Malaysia. There are some reports that the larvae kill each other for space and food. They also enjoy the company of human beings as they give them food without fighting for it.  

How long does an Atlas beetle live?

Atlas beetle lifespan is around 12 months when kept in hospitable conditions. Atlas beetle lives longer in captivity as they are not prone to any external threat. Also, the Atlas beetle horns in males help them to live for a longer duration as compared to females, who die soon after laying eggs.

How do they reproduce?

The giant Atlas beetle has a special way to mate. A male beetle uses its horns to fight its competitors to win the right to mate with the female beetle. When the winner is decided, the male beetle mates with the female and the female lays up to 50 eggs. After around two weeks, the eggs hatch to become larvae. These larvae go through several cycles to become an adult beetle.

What is their conservation status?

There is no particular conservation status assigned to the horned Atlas beetles as they are quite easily available in the forests of Malaysia. Hence, they do not face any imminent danger.

What do Atlas beetles look like?

The Atlas beetles have a strong and attractive body structure with their skin color resembling a metallic green shade that resembles a jewel.  While Atlas beetle wings are present on the back, due to their large size, these beetles can not fly efficiently. They rather move back and forth by launching from one tree to another. Of course, their most notable distinguishing feature is their large horns.

How cute are they?

The Atlas beetle looks rather cute due to its box-like-shaped body which also gives them a strong and attractive appearance. Their interesting and unique horns and appearance encourage people to have an Atlas beetle pet.

How do they communicate?

The way the Atlas beetles move helps others understand their behavior. Atlas beetle males also make use of their body language to convey messages to others wherein they gently move back and forth.

How big is an Atlas beetle?

The male Atlas beetles are around 60 - 130 mm long and the females are much smaller around 25-60 mm long.

How fast can an Atlas beetle move?

Atlas beetle, also known as rhino beetle, usually moves around by jumping from one tree to another. They have a limited flying ability that restricts their potential to cover longer distances by flying. As per reports, their flight speeds vary between 1-4 m/s. Though, it must be noted that their horns do not affect their flying speeds significantly.  

How much does an Atlas beetle weigh?

The Atlas beetle weight is estimated to be around 0.004 g, yet it can lift up to 4 g which is 850 times its body weight.

What are their male and female names of the species?

No specific name has been assigned to males and females. Both are commonly known as Chalcosoma Atlas beetles.

What would you call a baby Atlas beetle?

The babies are called larvae. They hatch from an Atlas beetle egg after around two weeks. These larvae go through many life cycles before they become an adult beetle.

What do they eat?

Atlas beetle diet for larvae includes decayed leaf litter/decayed wood of oaks, beech, and chestnut. Atlas beetle diet for adult beetles includes any sweet fruit, banana, apple, mango, peach, melon, and watermelon.

Are they poisonous?

The adults are harmless; even their strong horns are harmless to humans. But the larvae can be dangerous as they bite even upon the slightest touch. However, they are not poisonous.

Would they make a good pet?

Definitely. Atlas beetles are loved by most people as they are largely harmless to humans. They do not require a lot of maintenance either.

Did you know...

Atlas beetles have strong horns that are used during a fight to win over the female for mating.

The larvae have a fierce behavior and even bite at the slightest touch. They also kill other larvae for space and food.

Atlas beetles are largely found in the forests of Malaysia only because their limited flying ability restricts them from moving longer distances to other regions.

How much can an Atlas beetle lift?

As per experts, Atlas beetles are amongst the strongest creatures as they can lift up to 4 g, i.e. 850 times their body weight! In human comparison, this equates to a human lifting a truck. The Atlas beetles have a strong body which helps them in fighting with other male beetles to win the mating rights.

Having your own Atlas beetle

Beetles require less care compared to other pets but they need special care. They must be kept in a breathable box with a suitable environment. Though they have a very short life span, people still prefer their company as they are interesting and unique. You can find many vendors online from whom you can buy an Atlas beetle pet but as they are high on demand be ready to pay a premium over other beetle pets.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other arthropods including water beetle, or ground beetle.

You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one on our atlas beetle coloring pages.