I don’t know enough about the life and times of beetles to figure out if a) I’m just lucky this last week b) there are more beetles overall c) there are more beetles feeding from trees at night d) there’s more beetles available ‘cause less kids are spending all day catching them or some combination of these and other factors.
For reference, I’ve been walking my old dog for 13 years, and Pochi a few years before that, and I’d see one or two Kabuto males across the week if I was lucky, a Kuwagata more days than not, bus basically it’s a menagerie out there. I don’t actually keep any beetles, but that practice is consistent over the years. This is in suburban Iwatsuki.
Protip: look for any flowering or fruiting trees, such as acorns forming on oaks. That tree is pumping xylem and phloem like no one’s business, and at night you can waltz up, look for sap dripping out of any gouges or breaks, and find any number or bugs – no traps or lures required. Yes, some of them do make sounds when you pick them up – the longhorns / kamikiri being the loudest of all.
https://www.reddit.com/r/japan/comments/woxg2l/anyone_still_catching_beetles_sure_seems_like_a/
3 comments
Sell them to city folks for exuberant sums of money
There are indeed quite a lot of beetles this year, at least compared to last year. Much more praying mantis also.
Caught 6 at the local park last year not even trying. Hoping to top it this year. So far just a baby snake and a frog. Both promptly released.