The Claw

Captured in: Levittown, NY.

Pictured here is an image of a male Hercules beetle... It's a pretty mean looking critter, and something I...
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Captured in: Levittown, NY.

Pictured here is an image of a male Hercules beetle... It's a pretty mean looking critter, and something I'd prefer not to bump into in a dark garage or shed. ;)

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Here's a little background on the Hercules beetle:

The male Hercules beetle resembles somewhat of a lobster claw, and can grow to up to 7 inches (173 mm) in length. These beetles are native to rain forests, spend their days hiding under leaves, and forage for food at night.

It's said that male Hercules beetles use these large horns to help settle mating disputes... They will fight over females, and attempt to grab and pin their rival between the horns. If successful, they will then lift and throw them (WWE style), to settle the dispute.

They are said to be extremely strong for their size, and can carry up to 850 times its body mass. *

* - Hercules beetle info courtesy Wikipedia.

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"The Claw" is a non-HDR image that was processed using a combination of ACR and Photoshop (also includes the use of Topaz Labs plugins -- Adjust, Clean, Denoise, Glow, Impressions and Texture Effects).
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