Beetle: the insect that is a pet in Japan

It is super normal sometimes to have preferences for less traditional pets besides dogs and cats. Some have birds, others prefer rodents, and so on!

But have you heard of keeping beetles as pets? It may seem a bit strange to us, but in Japan, it is relatively common. Let’s understand better the reason for such a preference.

Pet

Many children in Japan enjoy the idea of having a beetle as a pet.

To give you an idea, it’s not just about finding a beetle and putting it in your home; they have food and even a little cage or house to stay in.

And it’s not just any type, but the most common ones found in Japan for this purpose are Kabuto Mushi (カブトムシ) and Kuwagata (クワガタ).

Kabuto Mushi – Japanese Rhinoceros Beetle

Mushi means insect in Japanese, and kabuto means helmet in Japanese, referring to the samurai helmet.

Males range from forty to eighty millimeters in length. Females are a bit smaller, reaching up to sixty millimeters.

This species has as its main physical characteristic a long cephalic horn shaped like the letter Y. This feature is often used by males for mating and to maintain territories.

It is dark brown in color, with white or red eyes. The Kabuto Mushi is found in Japan, Taiwan, the Korean Peninsula, and eastern China.

This species of beetle lasts on average four months as a beetle. They usually die after mating.

These beetles cost on average from 500 to 1000 yen. They are sold as pets in department stores.

Kuwagata – Samurai Helmet Beetle

The Japanese name Kuwagata comes from the stylized horns of a samurai helmet, which makes the insect popular.

This species can live up to three years. Its average size is from 2.7 cm to 8.3 cm for males, and for females, it is from 2.5 cm to 4.5 cm.

There are about 1200 varieties of this species. This type of beetle is rarer to find, and if you manage to find one for sale, it can cost around 40,000 to 150,000 yen.

But the largest ones, called “Black Diamonds,” can cost millions of yen.

How did the preference for beetles arise?

Well, to start, it’s important to highlight that compared to a cat or dog, they take up less space, eat less, and do not require as much attention. Therefore, they can be found in large numbers in Japanese homes.

And those who usually choose to have these animals are children, who can not only buy them but also capture them in parks.

The best time to find these little creatures is in the summer. They usually do not roam freely around the house, mainly because the risk of stepping on them without noticing is high.

So they usually stay in plastic or glass cages with pieces of wood and other elements that help make the container closer to the environment they are used to.

Their diet consists of fruits and special foods that can be found in pet shops.

Beetle Boxing

Yes, that’s right, there is even a sport that uses beetles. It is quite similar to a boxing ring. This tournament is called “King Beetle” and takes place in Tokyo.

But these beetles should not be mere pets, as the strongest ones win. Usually, the prize is money for the owner of the beetle.

This has become so popular that they are importing various breeds of beetles from other countries to be used for this type of fight.

Smuggled Beetles to Japan

In Bolivia, beetles are captured using traps that lead them to get stuck in fabrics. The most sought-after beetles are members of the rhinoceros beetle subfamily.

This species is highly coveted in Japan due to its impressive horns, which help in beetle fights.

Every year, between January and May, beetle hunters of the Dynastes species earn an average of thirty dollars for each live beetle.

In Japan, this species can cost up to five hundred dollars. The price depends on the size, shape, and length of the horns.

Hunters take care of these beetles until they reach their destination. Since the Dynastes satanas species is rare and still being captured, it has been added to the list of endangered animals.

These beetles are placed in plastic containers and cardboard boxes and are sent by bus to an intermediary in Peru, who is responsible for forwarding them to Japan afterward.

The illegal trafficking of insects generates a lot of money, especially in Japan. Losing these insects would be detrimental to everyone because they are responsible for the nutrients in forests and aerate the soil.

The species that are usually smuggled are Dynastes satanas and Hercules beetles because they are larger than the more common ones in Japan.

Another advantage compared to Japanese beetles is their lifespan, which can be up to two years.

Japanese beetle smugglers are increasingly traveling to Bolivia to hunt and avoid local suppliers.

They even pay tour guides to find these beetles. But since there is no regulation there, it is difficult to be arrested for this, although it can happen during the journey.

Beetles in Animes

Have you seen animes where beetles were villains, had powers, or something like that?! This is because the Japanese like to portray things they enjoy in these stories.

Examples where this happens are in animes like One Punch Man, where one of the villains, Ashura Kabuto, has the appearance of a gigantic rhinoceros beetle.

In the anime Metabots, Metabee is a character with a design based on a rhinoceros beetle.

In Digimon, there is the giant electric beetle Mega Kabuterimon. In Naruto, Shino Aburame has secret techniques for controlling the kikaichu insects.

And what do you think about the idea of keeping a beetle as a pet?