Five times
This is the fifth time in eight years that I’ve composed a post about stag beetles. The first time was when four-year-old Frankie had been alarmed by ’a big, black thing’ on the floor in the conservatory. On that occasion it had been brought in by the curious cats. That summer, they brought in three, all unharmed and returned safely to the great outdoors.
It is around this season of the year that stag beetles emerge from their underground lairs, having spent the majority of their lives, between three and seven years, as larvae, feeding on decaying wood.
As adults, they also spend their first winter underground, eventually tunnelling to the surface, to mate. The female then returns to the spot from which she emerged, digs down and lays her eggs in the soil. The larvae may be found as much as half a metre underground.
The adults will not survive the summer, dying by the end of the season. None will live through the winter, apart from the new adults underground.
Stag beetles are the largest beetle native to the UK and are in decline. They are quite widespread in Southern England, but rare or even extinct in other areas of Britain. They are drawn to the warmth of roads and pavements and often end their lives being crushed under the wheels of cars or the feet of pedestrians.
Despite their rather aggressive appearance, they are completely harmless, except to each other when fighting.
If you’re interested in reading my previous stag beetle posts, just type ‘Stag beetles’ in the ‘Search this blog’ tab.
Similar to what we call "lawn beetles" or "Christmas beetles" and their larvae eat the roots of lawns causing large dead patches in the grass.
ReplyDeleteThe brown patches in our grass are caused by dogs!
DeleteMight the beautiful jay have killed and eaten a rugged looking stag beetle?
ReplyDeleteDefinitely!
DeleteEek!
ReplyDeleteI love the Jay bird. I got to see a couple when back last year and their colours are stunning.
Reading about your 'bug' made me think of my son's Cicadas that he just saw while he was away for the weekend. They were - according to him quite big - and kept landing on him. There were hundreds of them and when they flicked them off their clothes they screamed.
Cicadas are being introduced to the New Forest. It will take about ten years before the new insects emerge, if they do!
DeleteI don't like the idea of screaming insects.
We have giant stag beetles in the United States as well and I remember seeing them fairly often in summer when I was growing up, but I can't recall having seen one now in years. I'm not sure if that means that their numbers have decreased or that I'm not as observant as I was as a child.
ReplyDeleteI fear they are in decline, like so many things. Apparently, there are about 30 species of stag beetles in USA - makes ours look paltry!
DeleteI do remember seeing lots of them when I was a child but they don't seem quite so prolific these days.
ReplyDeleteThey're declining, like so many other things.
DeleteWe don't have wooded areas in our garden, so we don't see them often., we do see the occasional jay, stunning birds.
ReplyDeleteI'm always delighted to see jays - they are the shyest of the corvids.
Deletewe have saved many of these ugly guys from our pool and now that I see this, just now realized I have not seen one since the drought started 5 years ago, I did not know anything about them, interesting info.. talk about a short lifespan. wow
ReplyDeleteLiving most of your life underground doesn't sound very inviting.
DeleteI don't know if I've ever encountered these. I know we used to get a lot of Japanese beetles
ReplyDeleteI had to look up Japanese beetles - we don't have them in UK, though they are in Europe so presumably will arrive here at some point.
DeleteI truly amazing beetle. I think we may have something here that is the same or very similar. I often find their dead bodies.
ReplyDeleteIt's a short life, and not a particularly merry one!
ReplyDeleteSome people hate snakes and lizards, but they don't bother me.
ReplyDeleteBugs?? Cannot say the same.
Bugs get in where larger creatures cannot . . .
DeleteAside from the beetles, I find that bird to be different (to me) and interesting. ]
ReplyDeleteJays are so beautiful. I'm always delighted to see them.
DeleteAccording to my quick internet search, stag beetles are present in every part of the state, but I've never seen one.
ReplyDeleteYou're more likely to see them near rotting wood, or old tree roots.
DeleteNot a fan of bugs. The jay is beautiful and very different looking from the blue jays here.
ReplyDeleteI like friendly bugs. like ladybirds.
ReplyDeleteStag beetles are impressive but a bit scary too. We had one in our basement many years ago. No idea how it got there. I remember going into basement and heard some movement in a plastic bag that was lying around. My husband managed to catch it and put it outside, though. xxx
ReplyDeleteWell done, Jos. Poor stag beetle wouldn't have lasted long in the basement, I fear.
DeleteI have never seen them here in London, at least not that I remember. Maybe our gardens are too confined and/or too neat (no rotting wood). They're probably on Hampstead Heath.
ReplyDeleteHampstead Heath would be a good place for them.
DeleteI've only come across one once, a big male. I did recognise it from pictures - otherwise I would probably have been totally mystified...
ReplyDeleteThey're a little alarming on first acquaintance, but totally harmless.
DeleteI have never seen these stag beetles. They look dangerous! :)
ReplyDeleteLooks are deceptive!
DeleteBeautiful photograph of the Jay, they do occasionally visit the garden.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
I feel quite honoured when jays visit, though there are quite a few in this area.
DeleteWhile they do look rather alarming, good to know they are harmless.
ReplyDeleteThey do no harm and actually work quite hard to 'tidy up' rotting wood.
DeleteGreat photos of the beetle.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
DeleteThere is a website in UK to which you can log stag beetle sightings - a sort of citizens science thing to identify where they might still be in reasonable numbers and improve habitats for them.
ReplyDeleteYes, we have submitted our finds to them in the past. I always feel ridiculously pleased with myself when I report my findings.
DeleteI always think Stag beetles are impressive and formidable looking creatures.
ReplyDeleteWe occasionally see a Jay in the garden but I've not seen any this year so far. They are beautiful birds with the flash of blue on their wings.
Jays are quite shy, so it's a pleasure when they visit the garden.
ReplyDelete