reddish-brown stag beetle

not listed

NNR - Unranked

not listed

Reddish-brown stag beetle is a relatively large beetle. It occurs in the United States east of the Great Plains and in adjacent Canadian provinces. It is found around decaying logs and stumps in deciduous forests, parks, and neighborhoods with trees. Larvae feed on decaying wood, adults feed on tree sap.

The name “stag beetle” refers to the oversized mandibles on some males that resemble deer antlers. Another common name for this beetle is pinching bug. The mandibles look fierce and are used to fight other males over a female. When confronted, it will rear back threateningly with its mandibles open. However, when handled by humans, it can give no more than a mild pinch.

Adults are light to dark reddish-brown and ¾″ to 17⁄16″ (20 to 36 mm) in length not including the mandibles. The body is robust and elongated.

The head and mouthparts are directed forward. The head is large and is not concealed beneath the pronotum. On the male it is slightly wider than the exoskeletal plate covering the thorax (pronotum). The antennae have 10 segments (antenomeres) including the very long basal segment (scape). They are abruptly bent, elbow-like (geniculate), after the scape. The last four segments are expanded sideways, comb-like, into long flattened lobes (clubbed). The clubbed segments cannot be held together. The chewing mouthparts (mandibles) are enlarged and curved inwards. They are not branched. On major males they are greatly elongated, as long as the pronotum. On females and minor males they are shorter. On both sexes the mandibles have just a single tooth on the inner edge.

The pronotum is narrower at the rear than the base of the hardened wing covers (elytra). It does not have any grooves, ridges, or projections.

The elytra are not grooved or ridged. They appear smooth but are densely covered with very fine punctures.

The legs are mostly reddish-brown and are adapted for digging. The third segment of each leg (femur) is yellowish-brown, distinctly lighter than the body and the remaining leg segments. The fourth segment (tibia) of the front leg has distinct, saw-like, large and small teeth. The last part of the leg (tarsus), corresponding to the foot, has five segments. There is a pair of claws at the end of the last segment. The claws are equal in size and are not toothed.

Total length: ¾″ to 17⁄16″ (20 to 36 mm)

Smooth stag beetle (Lucanus placidus) is very dark reddish-brown to black. The femur on the front leg is dark, the same color as the head and body.

Deciduous forests, parks, neighborhoods with trees, around decaying logs and stumps.

Adults are active at night and are attracted to lights. They make a loud buzzing noise when they fly.

Decaying wood

Tree sap

Sources

24, 27, 29, 30, 82.

Common

This species was formerly classified as Pseudolucanus capreolus. The genus Pseudolucanus has been demoted to a subgenus of the genus Lucanus.

Found this guy knocking on my front door on the evening of June 9th.

Location: Plymouth Minnesota

When I was redoing a window well and I saw it within the dirt pile I had shoveled out.  Beautiful beetle and I didn’t want to harm it so I laid him in the grass. He didn't move much and after a few minutes I noticed him attempting to dig down into grass soil. So I then dug a small hole in dirt and gently placed him in it and lightly covered him with dirt as it seemed he was wanting that within the hot sun.

Location: Hennepin County

Location: Benton County

This was found on my coat at night outside as I was getting ready to leave.

Location: Sauk Rapids, Minnesota 

every year at my old household there was a whole population of them that would come out of my front yard in the summer they are big and black with a small amount of orange on them 

Location: Vadnais Heights in my kitchen. My dog may have accidentally carried it in after our romp through Hugo RC Park.

Scared the life out of me. I’m outdoorsy and used to all kinds of critters but I’ve never seen anything like this in person. It was definitely longer than an 1”. Closer to 2”

Location: Elk River - Sherburne County

Found this guy knocking on my front door on the evening of June 9th.