Stag beetle. Russia
Stag beetle
Moderators: rjlittlefield, ChrisR, Chris S., Pau
Hello Chris,Chris S. wrote:Oleg--really interesting shots. Are the stag beetles interacting at all--displaying, fighting? Did you find them in such close proximity, or place them there?
Did you learn anything of their behavior by watching them?
Otlichno, i ochen moledyetz!
--Chris S.
THANKS, place them there They live in the forest, where there are a lot of old trees. I saw those bugs for the first time in my life. now I am very interested to know about them, I saw three bugs
- MarkSturtevant
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Beautiful!
So in case this is of any use: Stag beetle larvae grow in dead wood. Of that I know little, but I suspect they are mainly subsisting on fungi in the wood, and different species have preferences for certain species of host trees.
The large mandibles of the males are used for 'combat' with other males. They defend a dead tree from rival males, and the male that can do so is more likely to mate with a female that wants to lay eggs in that tree. Their combat generally results in no harm to the loser. They are simply picked up and tossed off the tree.
So in case this is of any use: Stag beetle larvae grow in dead wood. Of that I know little, but I suspect they are mainly subsisting on fungi in the wood, and different species have preferences for certain species of host trees.
The large mandibles of the males are used for 'combat' with other males. They defend a dead tree from rival males, and the male that can do so is more likely to mate with a female that wants to lay eggs in that tree. Their combat generally results in no harm to the loser. They are simply picked up and tossed off the tree.
Mark Sturtevant
Dept. of Still Waters
Dept. of Still Waters
Thanks,Mark!MarkSturtevant wrote:Beautiful!
So in case this is of any use: Stag beetle larvae grow in dead wood. Of that I know little, but I suspect they are mainly subsisting on fungi in the wood, and different species have preferences for certain species of host trees.
The large mandibles of the males are used for 'combat' with other males. They defend a dead tree from rival males, and the male that can do so is more likely to mate with a female that wants to lay eggs in that tree. Their combat generally results in no harm to the loser. They are simply picked up and tossed off the tree.