With two gigantic pincers and the strength to lift epic loads, the Hercules beetle is one of the most fearsome insects on the planet.
But new footage of the critter suggests it’s even more frightening in its chrysalis, before it has finished growing into its adult form.
Hirofumi Kawano
A video of the pupa of a Hercules beetle was shared by Ziya Tong, host of a Canadian nature program, who described it as “like something right out of Aliens”.
Understandably, Twitter was not happy.
Hercules beetles, which are a species of rhinoceros beetle, are among the largest beetles on the planet, according to the Guinness World Records.
They start life pretty big too; their larvae can grow up to 6 inches in length and weigh up to 4.9 ounces, Science Alert reports.