Xylotrupes socrates
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~30%
Xylotrupes socrates, commonly known as the Siamese rhinoceros beetle or fighting beetle (Thai: กว่างชน), is a species of large scarab beetle belonging to the subfamily Dynastinae. It is particularly known for its role in insect fighting in Thailand.
Like most dynastid beetles, the adult male of X. socrates possesses two horns: one on the head and another on the pronotum, both bifurcate and curling inward. Adult females lack these horns. Both sexes have dark chestnut-brown (in younger beetles) or black (in older beetles) exoskeletons and elytra.
The species is widespread in south-east Asian countries such as Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam. These beetles are used for staging beetle fights, a traditional form of entertainment popular in the northern region of Thailand. They are captured and trained to become stronger and more aggressive. In the fight the beetle that lifts its opponent up by its horns wins. A beetle may also win if his opponent crawls away, falls, or is overturned. Insect fighting is mostly practiced in the Chiang Mai and Nan provinces of Thailand. It is also popular... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Khao Yai National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 2 | Cat Tien National Park | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | |
| 3 | Khao Sok National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 4 | Kaeng Krachan National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Xiamen City | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 2 | Tuen Mun | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 3 | Guangzhou | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 4 | Hong Kong | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 5 | Bangkok | 🇹🇭 Thailand |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Siamese Rhinoceros Beetle sighting in Hong Kong on a given day, based on 38 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 309th most-seen of the 1125 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
August
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Siamese Rhinoceros Beetle in Hong Kong on a given day, against under 5% in November to July, the lowest months. That is one of Hong Kong's wettest months, with about 220 mm of rain against 25 mm in December.
Between 7 and 10 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Siamese Rhinoceros Beetle sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is seen both by day and at night.
Among the best
Of the 5 cities where we can rate Siamese Rhinoceros Beetle sightings, Hong Kong ranks 4th at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Xiamen City (China, about 10%), Tuen Mun (China, about 10%) and Guangzhou (China, about 10%).
Same family: Scarabaeidae
The closest relatives of the Siamese Rhinoceros Beetle that you can see in Hong Kong (family Scarabaeidae, Scarabs) are Euselates magna (about 10%), Anomala russiventris (about 10%) and Oriental Flower Beetle (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Siamese Rhinoceros Beetle is recorded against all the insects logged in Hong Kong (38 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.
