European Stag Beetle
Lucanus cervus
Near ThreatenedFast Facts
About
The European stag beetle is the largest terrestrial beetle in Britain and one of the most impressive insects in Europe. The male's enormously enlarged, antler-like mandibles, from which the species takes its name, give it a fearsome appearance.
Despite their size, these 'antlers' are used chiefly for wrestling rival males and are too weak to deliver a serious bite.
Behaviour
Adult stag beetles live only a few weeks in summer, during which males take to the wing on warm evenings in search of mates. Rival males grapple with their mandibles, each trying to lever the other off a branch.
The larvae spend years living underground in rotting wood, slowly growing before pupating, which makes dead wood vital to the species' survival.
Did you know?
- The male's giant 'antlers' are used for wrestling rivals, not for biting
- Larvae may spend up to six years feeding on rotting wood before emerging
- Adults live for only a few short summer weeks once they emerge
- Loss of dead wood in tidy landscapes is a key reason for their decline
Distribution
Deciduous woodlands across much of Europe
