Stag Beetle Sighting..

[ejtrent]

In my ignorance I honestly had no idea we get Stag Beetles here! With a little more research I hear they are endangered and protected, very interesting.

I spotted this little (big) guy stuck to my house outside the front door! I only had my wide lens for my DSLR back from the studio unfortunately so it was a case of getting the camera as close to him as I could!

Pretty amazing creature! Seems to be fiddling with some of the debris on the wall, he hung around for about an hour then moved on.

Thought it'd be a nice share!

 

[Bushwhacker]

That's excellent. Can't say I've ever seen one.

 

[crosslandkelly]

Nice find, good picture.

 

[Niels]

Beautiful animal. Haven't seen one myself either, as far as I know.

 

[Robbi]

i was led to believe that they only live and breed in the SE of England, used to see loads when we were kids, they live in rotting trees and their lava look like Wijidy (?) grubs

thats a young male one i think, the females have smaller "horns"

 

[Niels]

i was led to believe that they only live and breed in the SE of England, used to see loads when we were kids, they live in rotting trees and their lava look like Wijidy (?) grubs

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witchetty_grub

*Witchetty grub

 

[Big Stu 12]

Seen Quite a few over the years.. a big one is a great thing to see

 

[Corso]

i was led to believe that they only live and breed in the SE of England, used to see loads when we were kids, they live in rotting trees and their lava look like Wijidy (?) grubs

thats a young male one i think, the females have smaller "horns"

we get them in the gardne from time to time - noisy buggers when they fly about

 

[blacktimberwolf]

When we first moved here 20 years ago I used to have an almost nightly encounter with flying stag beetles in the summer when walking the dog........There was a large dead oak in a hedgerow around a field adjacent to the house....the only dead oak I've seen in the area....then one day, the landowner cut it down, (as well as mutilating a few magnificent live mature oaks,) for fire wood.....that was about 10 years ago & I haven't seen a stag beetle since. This particular 'land owner' has done quite a bit for local wildlife, such as cutting down & 50 meter row of field elm which not only provided nest sites for birds but also acted as a natural corridor for red squirrels, small mammals & reptiles, there was also a nice patch of Morille fungi that grew at the base of these trees... When I asked him why he was doing it, as the trees lined the track/road leading down to our house,& their disappearence directly affected our immediate enviroment, he replied " I don't have much to do this week & I don't want to get bored."...he also cut down a walnut tree in one of his fields, which happened to be occupied by a pair of nesting little owls since it had a large hole in the trunk.........neeedless to say, he is never happier than when using a chainsaw. Patience is a virtue & I'm just biding my time, waiting to hear he has cut off one of his freakin' limbs with the damn thing & then I'll break out the champagne.

 

[udamiano]

Great photo. very impressed

 

[Bartooon]

I live about 10 miles east(ish) from the OP and I have seen several this year when I have been out walking the dog around the village in the evening.

I have lived here for 15 years and have only seen one before, so looks like it might be a good year for them.

They are certainly impressive creatures! Although they look scary, the males are harmless but apparently the females can give a nasty nip if handled (that reminds me, the good lady will be home soon!)

 

[Mouse040]

Never seen one pretty interesting to find one I bet you now know a bit about something new ain't wildlife grand

 

[R.Lewis]

I found a grub in a buried stump I had no idea we had a few years ago. Last year my wife saw the Adult male. Well pleased for a town garden!

 

[Catfish1972]

We get quite a lot of them in Southeast London.

 

[Harvestman]

Wonderful thing to find. They are very high up on my "things I want to see that I haven't seen yet" list.

 

[wattsy]

I used to see them when I was a kid but I haven't seen one for at least 15 years up here

 

[Big Stu 12]

noisy buggers when they fly about

Your not wrong there....

 

[maddave]

Great capture... Never seen one either

 

[British Red]

Fantastic picture - shame you didn't have a macro with you - but that's still a great shot.

We are using a lot of timber and letting it decay here (chipped wood mulches, whole tree trunk benches, even a pile of timber left to rot)- surprising how it brings in the beetles, which in turn bring in the birds (woodpeckers, little owls etc.)

No stag beetles yet - but I live in hope

 

[ejtrent]

Good luck Red!