Oryctes monoceros
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~50%
Oryctes monoceros, commonly known as African rhinoceros beetle, is a species of rhinoceros beetles from the subfamily Dynastinae (family: Scarabaeidae) which is common in sub-Saharan Africa. Its distribution extends from Senegal and Chad in the North to South Africa in the South and includes the islands of Madagascar, Seychelles and Réunion in the East. O. monoceros is similar in size (~ 4 cm long) and biology to O. rhinoceros found in tropical parts of Asia and the Pacific. Both species are serious pests of coconut and oil palms and attack these by boring into the crown of the palms and feeding on the young developing fronds. Taxonomically, O. monoceros and O. rhinoceros belong to different subgenera of Oryctes, the main differences between both species are: Oryctes monoceros (subgenus Rykanoryctes) has 3 immovable spikes at the tip of the hindtibia and on average males have a shorter horn than O. rhinoceros which is more strongly curved backwards. Oryctes rhinoceros (subgenus Rykanes) has 2 immovable spikes at the tip of the hindtibia and on average males have a longer horn than in O. monoceros which is only slightly curved backwards.
The type locality of Oryctes... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | iSimangaliso Wetland Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report an African Rhinoceros Beetle sighting in Durban on a given day, based on 41 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 46th most-seen of the 401 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
September to June
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report an African Rhinoceros Beetle in Durban on a given day, against under 5% in July and August, the lowest months.
Between 5 and 8 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most African Rhinoceros Beetle sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is most active around dawn and dusk.
2nd of 2
Of the 2 cities where we can rate African Rhinoceros Beetle sightings, Durban ranks 2nd at about 10%. The best odds are in Maputo (Mozambique, about 30%).
Same family: Scarabaeidae
The closest relatives of the African Rhinoceros Beetle that you can see in Durban (family Scarabaeidae, Scarabs) are Eastern Variable Fruit Chafer (about 10%), Garden Fruit Chafer (about 10%) and Speckled Fruit Chafer (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the African Rhinoceros Beetle is recorded against all the insects logged in Durban (41 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
