Xylotrupes socrates
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~50%
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 Kaeng Krachan National Park on a given day, based on 11 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 139th most-seen of the 296 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
May and September–October
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Siamese Rhinoceros Beetle in Kaeng Krachan National Park on a given day, against under 5% in February–April, August and December, the lowest months. Those are among Kaeng Krachan National Park's wettest months, with about 230 mm of rain a month against 30 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 4 parks where we can rate Siamese Rhinoceros Beetle sightings, Kaeng Krachan National Park ranks 4th at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Khao Yai National Park (Thailand, about 10%), Cat Tien National Park (Vietnam, about 10%) and Khao Sok National Park (Thailand, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Siamese Rhinoceros Beetle is recorded against all the insects logged in Kaeng Krachan National Park (11 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
