The dreaded Rhinocerus Beetles!

[Teel]

Not sure whether it was just near our yard in 1st Avenue but I vividly remember these giant, black , prehistoric looking beetles!  I think they used to have seasons when they would appear and they would be everywhere.   My brother Richard always thought he was funny and clever when he would  creep up behind Melanie and I and "stick" a beetle on our back without us knowing it.  We would then feel something itchy most of the day and then when we went to have our bath at night and took our clothes off  we would scream when we saw the offending beetle!  I saw my kids playing with one in the street the other day and it brought back many creepy memories.

[SandyB]

Awful creatures hey ??  and  you  brother  even more  awful for  shoving  them down  you  backs ..

[Dalene Steenkamp (Coetzee)]

They play a very big role in nature  -  a specimen of dung beetle.  They get quite big and are the bulldozers of nature - try to hold one down - not easy to do.

[Melanie Jonker]

I work at the local Council and we run an Art Gallery. Quite often the Council will purchase some of the art works that local artists have on display. One day I was walking down the corridor at work. I looked up and there on the wall was a massive framed photograph of two rhinoceros beetles. I instantly froze and all those memories from nearly 40 years came flooding back. I had a huge fear of those beetles. They haunted me all the time we lived in Oranjemund. Now that fear has transferred to cockroaches which we have plenty of in Queensland.

[Michael Alexander]

Is this the one you're talking about?

[Dalene Steenkamp (Coetzee)]

Yeah -  beautifull!

[georg ruf jr.]

We call them "Hirschkaefer", which means dear-bug.

[Teel]

Yikes that's it!!  I know they are harmless and do lots of good but they are still bloody ugly and scary!