Giant African Flower Beetle

Geographical Origin and Habitat: Native to the rainforests of Central and West Africa, particularly the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. Inhabits dense canopy vegetation and tree trunks.

Taxonomy and Genetics: Family Scarabaeidae, subfamily Cetoniinae. Shows high genetic color variation, with the ugandensis subspecies highly sought after for its combinations of green, red, and blue.

Behavior and Habits: Diurnal, active, and capable of flight. Adults feed on decaying fruit and tree sap. Males fight territorial battles using their large cephalic horns.

Morphology: Males measure 5.5-8.5 cm and possess a distinctive forked horn. Females are smaller, lack horns, and have shovel-shaped heads adapted for burrowing to lay eggs.

Terrarium Setup: Adults require a terrarium of at least 45x30x30 cm with branches and cork bark. Larvae must be housed in deep containers (minimum 20 cm) filled with "flake soil" and decayed oak leaves.

Lighting and Heating: Maintain stable temperatures between 20-25°C (68-77°F). Avoid temperatures exceeding 28°C (82°F). Provide natural day/night light cycles to stimulate adult activity.

Humidity and Hydration: Keep substrate damp but never soggy. Mist the adult enclosure lightly to maintain humidity around 60-70%.

Feeding and Supplementation: Adults feed on commercial beetle jelly and sweet fruits (bananas, apples). Larvae feed strictly on decayed deciduous wood and leaf mulch.

Compatibility: Adults can be housed in pairs or trios (one male, two females). Do not house multiple males together to avoid stress and combat. Keep larvae individually to prevent cannibalism.

Health and Common Diseases: The main threat to larvae is substrate drying out or rotting, leading to pupal deformities. Adults may suffer joint damage or die prematurely if kept at high temperatures.