The prestigious American scientific journal Ecology published the results of a research on beetles prepared by an 11-year-old Japanese child, Ryo Shibata.

The student conducted research that showed that the rhinoceros beetle - long thought to be a nocturnal species - exhibits different daily activity patterns when feeding on an elm or evergreen ash tree, known by its scientific name (Fraxinus griffithii). "Ecology" journal, on April 13th.

The journal is affiliated with the American Environmental Association, founded in 1915, and is the world's largest community of professional environmental scientists, and is a trusted source of environmental knowledge.

Composed of 9,000 members, the association publishes 5 magazines and a membership brochure, and broadly shares environmental information through policy, media outreach and educational initiatives.

The association’s annual meeting attracts 4,000 participants and displays the latest developments in environmental sciences.

The rhinoceros beetle was long thought to be a nocturnal-only species (Getty Images)

Search in the back yard

A sixth-grader at Sogito Towne Desan Elementary School began his research in the summer of 2019, wondering why rhino beetles (Trypoxylus dichotomus) arrived in the tree during the day and monitored beetle activity for more than two years.

According to the research, the child examined the tree every day, and put marks on the beetles that were collected so that they could be individually identified to determine their identity and distinguish them from the rest, and in 2020 he was able to monitor a total of 162 beetles, collecting data mainly on their activity patterns, then Request the help of an expert specializing in entomology to publish scientific research.

The research began with informal notes in the backyard, when Shibata noticed unicorn beetles flocking to trees in his family's garden in the summer of 2019, and then began documenting the behavior of the beetles after he contemplated a summer science project.

The young researcher realized that the beetles on the elm tree were feeding and mating actively throughout the day, but the beetles on the oak trees - the usual hosts for this species of beetles - were only active at night.

Rhino beetles feeding on elm sap during the day (Ecology)

A 'near perfect' search

Shibata decided to contact Dr. Wataru Kojima, a distinguished lecturer at Yamaguchi University's School of Science, who has written several books for young people about the environment of the rhinoceros beetle.

Shibata mentioned that he used to record the number of beetles on trees several times a day, which caught the world's attention, and Kojima told Japanese media that he helped the child's research, providing him with support after the child asked him to review his research in the summer of 2019.

"I told him to continue recording because no one has data on activity patterns on this type of tree, while I was - and perhaps other naturalists - vaguely aware that rhino beetles are active during the day," he added.

At the end of the summer, Shibata sent his results to Kojima, who said he was “surprised at how well organized his field work was and how accurate data collection was.” He explained that he only provided advice, translated his research into English, and said about the research, “The research was almost perfect.” He expressed his wish to continue collaborating with the child in future research.

Shibata asked why rhinoceros beetles came to the tree during the day and observed it (Getty Images)

Future studies

"It was very exciting to collect field data," Shibata said in an email interview translated by Kojima to the European Space Agency. "The most memorable experience was when I heard a loud sound from a female who was carving an elm bark."

The Japanese child will add more details that he spotted in his research, such as the weight of each beetle, its dimensions, and other details that will enable him to discover more about it.


"I want to reveal the mysteries of rhino beetles, because there are many unknown factors, such as why they are also active during the day," the child told Japanese media.

"I have plans for various field experiments, including tracking beetles using radiotelemetry," he added. "I'm also interested in why the patterns of beetle activity on an elm tree changed."

The Shibata beetle research sparked a deeper interest in learning more about the insect species, and "I can barely wait for the summer beetle season," said Shibata.