Ask Kyoshi Matsushita about "Beatlemania" and he's far more likely to wax lyrical about Lucanidae, Silphidae, Scarabaedae and Dorcus titanus than John, Paul, George and Ringo.

"They're cool, they're beautiful," the 32-year-old signwriter enthuses about his pinups as he strokes a fearsome-looking 120-mm-long rhinoceros beetle (Allomyrina dichotoma) clinging leechlike to his arm. "I can't imagine how people can be grossed out by these kinds of insects. Spiders maybe, but not beetles."