# Young Stag Beetle?



## DazedLewis (Aug 21, 2008)

I found this in my garden:










I'm guessing it's a young stag beetle.
I found it near an area at the top of my garden where there are some old tree stumps and it is very sheltered, and I found a couple of adults there a few years ago.
Maybe they are breeding there? :2thumb:

One of my favourite UK inverts, a shame I see more stamped on on paths than living ones :/


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## garlicpickle (Jan 16, 2009)

You don't get immature adult beetles - they emerge from the pupa as full adults 

I think yours is the lesser stag beetle Dorcus parallelipipedus, tho I admit I'm not hot on beetles.


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## snowgoose (May 5, 2009)

yeah that's a Lesser Stag Beetle  Once they become beetles they are adults


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## DazedLewis (Aug 21, 2008)

Ah right, I didnt know that, cheers for letting me know  

Which are more uncommon in the uk, lesser or normal stag beetles?

I must have both types in my garden then lol


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## snowgoose (May 5, 2009)

I would say the normal are more less common but I'm not 100% sure on populations on either of these.


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## Javeo (May 4, 2008)

Yea thats a lesser, female normal stag beetles aslo look similar to that with small mandibles.


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## snowgoose (May 5, 2009)

Javeo said:


> Yea thats a lesser, female normal stag beetles aslo look similar to that with small mandibles.


Yes, female Lucanus cervus have smaller mandibles and also a more brown colour to their wing cases rather than black as with Dorcus parallelopipedus :2thumb:


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## Hedgewitch (Feb 12, 2008)

Man, I always thought those were just female stags, you live and learn eh?

How big is it?


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## snowgoose (May 5, 2009)

That's a female Lucanus cervus










And that's a female Dorcus parallelopipedus.


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## DazedLewis (Aug 21, 2008)

Hedgewitch said:


> Man, I always thought those were just female stags, you live and learn eh?
> 
> How big is it?


It was only about 4cm long! Still quite striking though


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## Sarracenia (Mar 20, 2008)

_Only_ 4cm? That's pretty big for a D. parallelopipedus. :gasp:

I wish I actually lived somewhere that Stags were native to. You don't get any decent inverts up north.


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## DazedLewis (Aug 21, 2008)

Sarracenia said:


> _Only_ 4cm? That's pretty big for a D. parallelopipedus. :gasp:
> 
> I wish I actually lived somewhere that Stags were native to. You don't get any decent inverts up north.


lol, I meant that its small compared to the other stag beetle species xD

maybe with global warming you might start seeing them in a few years.


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## Jennifer23 (Oct 7, 2008)

That's an awesome stag beetle.

I saw one last week and been looking out for more but not seen any.


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