stag beetles

[smartie]

There seem to be a lot of stag beetles around my way, one dive-bombed me yesterday evening!  :'(  I've never come across them beofre and, if I'm honest, I'm a bit of a girl about them - I was terrified!!
Are they likely to be attracted to something myself or my neighbours are growing and is there anything I can do about them? I'm also worried what they may start to devour......?!
I hope I don't offend any nature lovers out there, I don't want to kill them or anything horrible like that, just discourage them from visiting my plot!!
If anyone can help, it would be most appreciated!
Thanks!  :)

[smartie]

[westsussexlottie]

See PTES website. They are endangered and should be protected, and ideally encouraged - rather than discouraged from their natural habitat!

I hope this helps convince you that they are nice things really!

From PTES website:

"Biodiversity Action Plan: Stag Beetle
Stag beetles (Lucanus cervus) are Britain's largest terrestrial beetle, named because the male's huge jaws look just like a stag's antlers. They spend about five years as white grubs underground and emerge as fully grown adult insects in spring. Males can be up to 70mm (2.5 inches) long; females are smaller, without the characteristic male 'antlers'. Both sexes have a shiny black head and thorax (chest) and their wing cases are chestnut brown. They are quite harmless although they can give you quite a shock if they bump into you while flying around on summer evenings looking for a mate! Their large jaws are designed to ward off other male stag beetles.

Seeing Stag Beetles
You are most likely to see males in flight on warm summer evenings between May and August, while they look for a mate. Females lay their eggs near decaying wood below ground and the developing larvae are large white grubs with orange heads, which feed on this rotting wood. It can take up to five years for them to develop into adult beetles. The majority of adults live for only a few weeks in the summer in order to mate, although a few may survive the winter till the following year. With such a long larval stage, you can see how very important it is to protect their habitats.

Stag beetles are important because...
They are in serious decline on mainland Europe.

We need, therefore, to especially look after those we have left here in Britain.

By targeting our conservation efforts on these spectacular insects, then many other less well-known insects will also benefit.

Gardening For Stag Beetles
Many stag beetles in the UK are found in gardens south of an imaginary line drawn from the Wash to the Bristol Channel, surprisingly, in or very close to urban and suburban gardens. In recent years their numbers have been declining and they need all the help they can get.

There are quite a lot of very simple things you can do to help them. Indeed, just by letting nature take its course and doing very little you can make a difference. First, don't keep your garden too tidy!

Leave dead wood where it falls if you possibly can. Don't remove tree stumps.
Stag beetles thrive in dead wood. Females lay their eggs on it and the larvae feed on it for up to four years before they reach their adult form. So, if possible, leave dead wood where it falls, or if that is not possible, move it to a corner of the garden where it can rot quietly away. Dead wood is very valuable wildlife habitat; don't waste it by burning it.
Keep water butts covered.
For some reason, Stag beetles are attracted to water, but once they've fallen in they can't get out again. In our recent survey, many beetles were found dead in water butts and buckets.
Build a log pile in your garden.
Create a log pile in just the same way as a rockery. You will be providing invaluable habitat not only for stag beetles but many other invertebrates, too.
Use wood from broadleaved trees, especially oak, beech or fruiting trees such as apple or pear.
These support the richest insect communities.
Site the logs in partial shade, if possible, to prevent them from drying out.
Fresh logs with the bark still attached provide better and longer-lasting habitats.
The logs should be at least the thickness of an adult's arm.
Partially bury the logs vertically in the soil so that they retain moisture and increase the numbers of visiting insects. Stag beetles need buried dead wood in which to breed.
Avoid making log piles too high, or the timber will dry out. Allowing plants to grow over them both retains moisture and provides shade for the stag beetles."

[smartie]

oh dear I had a feeling you might say something like that, I'd better be nice to him next time he mistakes me for a possible female mate!!  :-\
Thanks for the feedback, interesting stuff!

[Mrs Ava]

When my nan and gramps lived in Morden, Surrey, their back garden backed onto Ravensbury Park and the river Wandle.  Throughout the summer we would sit in their garden and watch and listen to the stags flying around.  Must admit, I was always a touch frightened that they might come down and introduce themselves.

[redimp]

When you say dive bombed was the beetle flying because Stag Beetles do not fly as far as I know (I may be mistaken)  I think they have sealed wing cases.

[Mrs Ava]

Oh stag beetles definately fly redclanger.

Lifted this pic from this website: http://www.imagesofdorset.org.uk/StagB/stagfly.htm

[aquilegia]

Claire - you lucky thing! I'd love a stag beetle or two in my garden. But then I'm weird and I adore insects! Beautiful creatures.

Don't they eat nasties? I know ground beetles eat slugs...

[redimp]

I stand well and truly corrected  :o

Hangs head in shame and walks away in a Kitty styley.

[Heldi]

You lucky thing Claire. I've only ever seen one stag beetle. That was a long long time ago. What funny wee beasties! You can send some to me if you want!

[bunnycat]

My late Nan had stag beetles in her garden, and I spent ages watching them, as a child.
They are indeed endangered, and should be encouraged.

I was watching Springwatch the other night, and they were saying that it can take a few years for the larvae to become a beetle, and the reason they're so scarce is because the rotting wood the larvae live in is often 'cleared away' before the life cycle is complete :(

That information was great WSL, and expanded on the brief mention on Springwatch very well.

I think they're beautiful ;D