Stag Beetle

The stag beetle (Lucanidae family), commonly known as the pinching bug, is one of about 900 species of beetles (insect order Coleoptera) with mandibles (jaws) that resemble the antlers of a stag. In several species, the elaborately branched and toothed mandibles can be as long as the beetle itself. If they handle carelessly, their pinch can draw blood from a person. However, in some of the cases, the mandibles are large enough to be a handicap to the movement of the beetle.

Overview and Description

The English term has derived from the distinctive and large mandibles found on the males of most species that resemble the antlers of stags.

Lucanus Cervus, often known as the stag beetle in a few European nations (including the United Kingdom), is a well-known species throughout most of Europe. It is Europe's biggest terrestrial insect (big beetle). Nigidius was named the beetle Lucanus after the Italian province of Lucania, where they were employed as amulets, according to Pliny the Elder. The scientific name of the Lucanus Cervus includes deer and Cervus.

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Male staghorn beetles are much known for their oversized mandibles, which are used to wrestle each other for favored mating sites in a manner that parallels the way stags fight over the female ones. Fights can also be over food, such as decaying fruits and tree sap. They are not normally aggressive to humans, despite their often fearsome appearance. During a battle, the major objective is to dislodge its opponent's tarsal claws, including its mandible, hence disrupting their balance. Because its mandibles are capable of exceeding their own body size, it does come with a downside. Affecting its movability of running because of its disproportionate body; due to this, they normally fly to their destination.

Usually, female stag beetles are smaller than males, with smaller mandibles that are very powerful than the males'. As larvae, females are differentiated by their cream-colored, fat ovaries visible through the skin around two-thirds of the way down to their back.

The larvae feed on rotting wood for many years, going through three larval stages before pupating inside a pupal cell made mainly of earth particles and wood pieces. The surviving grubs of bigger species (big beetle), such as Prosopocoilus Giraffa, at the final larval stage, known as "L3," can be the size of a human finger.

They, along with the rhinoceros beetles, are often bought as pets in Japan and South Korea.

Characteristics

Most of the stag beetles are robust and brown or black. However, some are brightly colored. Paintings of the Chiasognathus granti from Chile that is iridescent red and metallic green, and Phalacrognathus muelleri from Australia, which is metallic carmine, edged with green, have been used on the postage stamps.

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Adult staghorn beetles are between 8 and 40 mm (1/3 - 1 and 2/3 inches) long, with the East Indian Odontolabis alces male reaching over 100 mm (about 4 inches) in length. The male giraffe stag beetle (which is the Cladognathus Giraffa) of India and Java is almost very long, and its jaws make up around half of its total length.

Examples of the species taking place in North America include L. Placidus and Lucanus Capreolus, which are common in the east, and L. mazama (called cottonwood stag beetle) that takes place in the southwest. L Capreolus is differentiated by its shiny reddish-brown color, whereas L. mazama and L. placidus are usually very dark black or brown. Most of the stag beetles live around rotting logs, where the larvae feed and the adults feed on sap. At the same time, the adults are attracted to lights at night.

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Stag Beetle Facts

Stag beetles are one of the spectacular black beetle insects in the United Kingdom. The large jaws of males look just like the antlers (beetles with antlers) of a stag. They spend most life underground as larvae, only emerging for some weeks in the summer to find a mate and reproduce. Stag beetles, including their larvae, are quite harmless and are a joy to watch.

Identification

The thorax (middle portion) and head of a stag beetle are glossy black, while the wing cases seem to be chestnut brown.

Male beetles appear to hold huge antlers. Actually, they are oversized mandibles, which are used in courtship displays and to wrestle the other male beetles. Adult males differ in size from 35mm – 75mm long and they tend to be seen flying at dusk in the summer while looking for a mate.

Female beetles are the smaller ones between 30-50mm long, having smaller mandibles. Often, they are seen on the ground looking for somewhere to lay eggs.

The smaller stag beetle is sometimes mistaken for a female stag beetle. However, the lesser stags are black all over with matt wing cases, while female stag beetles contain shiny brown wing cases. Lesser stag beetles tend to contain a much squarer overall look.

A fully-grown staghorn beetle larva (called grub) may be up to 110mm long. They are fairly smooth-skinned and have orange legs and heads and brown jaws. Nearly they are always found below ground and may be as deep as half a metre down.

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Distribution and Habitat

Stag beetles live in the hedgerows, woodland edges, traditional orchards, gardens and parks throughout Western Europe, including Britain – but not in Ireland. Stag beetles are relatively widespread in the southern England regions and they live in the Severn valley, including the coastal areas of the southwest. They are said to be extremely rare or even extinct elsewhere in Britain.

Female stag beetles usually prefer the light soils, which are easier to dig down into and lay eggs. Also, the newly emerging adults have to dig their way up through the soil to reach the surface. Thus areas like the South and North Downs, which are chalky, contain very few stag beetles. Also, they prefer, which have the lowest rainfall and highest average air temperatures throughout the year.

Particularly, we are keen for the people to record stag beetles in the counties, which are on the border of their known range, including Cheshire, Norfolk, Somerset, Bedfordshire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Shropshire.

Also, whether you're visiting locations like Wimbledon Common, Richmond Park, Epping Forest, or the New Forest, it's a good idea to keep an extra lookout.

Diet

Larvae feed on the decaying wood under the ground. Adults cannot feed on solid food. They rely on the fat reserves that build-up whilst developing as larvae. They can use their feathery tongue for drinking from the sap runs and fallen soft fruit.

Threats

A major loss of habitat is cited as the most evident concern for stag beetles. Several of London's remaining open places, including several forests, have unfortunately been developed. The development will continue to reduce the stag beetle habitats, but increased awareness of their existence may help defend the beetles against development.

In addition, the tidying of woodlands, gardens and parks has led to the removal of either dead or decaying wood habitats that are the food source of stag beetle larvae. Tree surgery operations such as stump-grinding of felled trees remove the vital habitat for the beetle. Although still, the tidying up continues in woodlands, gardens and park managers are now more aware of the need to retain dead and decaying wood as a part of the woodland ecosystem.

Unfortunately, humans are a direct threat to stag beetles. Adult beetles are drawn to the warm surfaces of sidewalks and tarmac, making them particularly vulnerable to being crushed by humans or vehicles. Stag beetles hold a fearsome appearance and at times, people kill them because they look very 'dangerous.'

Also, the changes in the weather patterns are likely to face an impact on the stag beetles. Exceptionally either dry or wet weather is likely to substantially affect the larvae. Both wet and windy weather may inhibit adult beetles' flying ability.

Stag beetles are harmless and they do not damage timber or living wood. Only the larvae feed on the decaying wood and so it is better not to kill them.

Status and Conservation

Legally, the stag beetles are protected from sale in the United Kingdom. Also, they are classed as a 'priority species, which is listed on Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act - 1981. If the stag beetles or their larvae are either known or thought to be present at a site where an application for planning has been submitted, and they are likely to be either destroyed or disturbed whilst the work is carried out at the site. It is recommended that someone with an understanding of the requirements of black beetle insects be present to see that any larvae or adults are translocated carefully to a suitable natural or purpose-built habitat close by.

These magnificent beetles are Red listed in several European countries and have undergone a decline across Europe. They also have gone extinct in Latvia and Denmark, although there has been a successful reintroduction into a site in Denmark in 2013.

Presence

The stag beetle is the United Kingdom's largest beetle and is found in South East England, especially in West and South London. It prefers oak woodlands but may be found in hedgerows, gardens and parks. The larvae depend upon the old trees and rotting wood to live in and feed on and may take around six years to develop before they pupate and turn into adults.

The adults hold a much shorter lifespan: they emerge in the month of May with the sole purpose of mating and die in the month of August once the eggs have been laid in a suitable piece of the decaying wood. You can look for the adults on balmy summer evenings when the males fly searching for mates. When a male has found his mate, he shows her his notoriously enormous, antler-like jaws, which he utilises to fend off other males in the same way that deer do.

Did you know?

The jaws of the male stag beetle seem fearsome, but they are actually quite weak, making this beetle pretty harmless to humans. And, in fact, it is possible that their jaws are very large that they prevent them from feeding. However, it is still unknown if either sex feeds during their brief adult lives, and if they do, it is most likely tree sap.