In the United Kingdom, the stag beetle is the most significant bug. Not only that, but it’s the world’s most costly bug. It is believed that the bug is worth KES 9.7 million, according to the pulse.
Stag beetles are a family of about 1,200 species of beetles in the family Lucanidae, currently classified into four subfamilies.
Females have a much more reduced mandible structure. Stag beetle size is species-dependent and ranges from 2 to 4.5 inches in length. Larvae are similar in shape to white grubs of Scarabeidae but are often larger during the latter stages of development. The giant stag beetle (Fig. 1 (male) and Fig. 2 (female)), Lucanus elaphus Fabricius, occurs in Texas. Males of this species have elaborate mandibles.
Due to their enormous size and ornamental mandibles, stag beetles have long received great attention from traditional taxonomists and amateur collectors. Nevertheless, despite extensive research on their taxonomy and classification, the phylogeny and evolutionary history of these beetles remain largely unknown.
A stag beetle’s head and thorax (middle section) are shiny black and their wing cases are chestnut brown. Male beetles appear to have huge antlers. They are actually oversized mandibles, used in courtship displays and to wrestle other male beetles. Adult males vary in size from 35mm – 75mm long and tend to be seen flying at dusk in the summer looking for a mate.
Female beetles are smaller at between 30-50mm long, with smaller mandibles. They are often seen on the ground looking for somewhere to lay their eggs.
Larvae develop in damp, decaying wood. Adults are sometimes attracted to lights. Adults can also be found near stumps or rotting logs. Adults may feed on leaves but Texas species are seldom common enough to be considered pests. They may bite if handled.
Stag beetles are sometimes rather clumsy landing; if they land upside down or topple over, they struggle to right themselves. During the brief time in the adult stage (a few weeks), they are sometimes seen feeding on sap oozing from trees, for example from ‘Goat moth’ trees. These are live trees (often oaks) damaged by Goat moth larvae feeding inside; they have conspicuous exit holes and the sap from the tree attracts various insects.
In European folklore, the stag beetle was a symbol of evil luck; medieval peasants believed they summoned thunderstorms.
Mostly, these insects can be found in wooded areas or gardens with dead wood. Male stag beetles can usually be seen throughout the summer months of May to late July.
Stag beetle life cycle
After 21 days, the females’ eggs hatch in dead forests or loose soil. Larvae then fn the decaying trunk for several years, eventually making their way out of the truck.
They go through a complete metamorphosis, with a pupation period of roughly six months. The male emerges first, followed by the females after the Pupa reaches adulthood in May or June.
Mate-searching is a primary concern of the buck beetle male. A few weeks into their lives, they can mate multiple times before they die. Most of the stag beetle’s life is spent underground as a larva, lasting anywhere from three to six years.