Signs of summer in Japan: heat waves, rain storms, kakigori shave-ice... and massive, squirming beetle larvae, on sale at a store near you. Known as kabuto-mushi ("helmet bugs") here for their exokeleton's resemblence of samurai armor, these guys are hugely popular as pets in the warmer months. I spotted these fellas on sale at a local hardware store.

Japan's love for kabuto-mushi is intense. They seem to occupy a different level than that of "normal" bugs, and I've seen men and women who ru...