Brawling beetles crawl for it all
It's not the size of the fighter that matters but the thrill of the spectacle in a week-long northern festival where 'kwang' battles are the main event
If Sumo wrestlers are the largest and fiercest of human fighters, kwang, or rhinoceros beetles, are the equivalent in the insect world. Their bouts begin with the big black bugs stomping their little feet and maneuvering to intimidate each other before hooking up and kicking off a captivating battle of nature. They are one of the world's strongest animals, capable of lifting up to 850 times their own weight. They are strong fliers and are attracted to lights.
Only the males have horns, which they use as weapons when battling rivals over females. Therefore, fighting comes naturally to them. They are territorial, but kwang fights are not to the death.
For millions of years, kwang have proven to be survivors amid changing times and for centuries these mighty six-legged creatures have earned a special place in the hearts and minds of the people in northern Thailand.
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- Writer: Thiti Wannamontha
