Mars Elephant Beetle

Megasoma mars, the Mars elephant beetle, is a large Megasoma species native to the tropical rainforests of northern South America, including Venezuela, Peru, and Brazil. Males reach 70–130 mm in body length and display a striking glossy jet-black coloration—notably more lustrous than the closely related elephant beetle (M. elephas). Like all Megasoma, the body is covered with fine hairs, though these are less dense in M. mars, allowing the black sheen to dominate. Captive temperature of 22–26°C is optimal. An extra-large enclosure with deep leaf litter or fermented substrate is required, as larvae grow very large and consume substantial amounts of substrate over a development period of 18–30 months. Egg-laying occurs in the substrate. Adults eat beetle jelly or banana and live approximately 3–6 months. Alongside M. elephas, M. mars is one of the most sought-after elephant beetles, prized especially for its distinctive jet-black coloration.

Insect jelly