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Photo Gallery => The Gallery => Topic started by: BarriedaleNick on June 12, 2009, 11:17:24

Title: First stag beetle of the year
Post by: BarriedaleNick on June 12, 2009, 11:17:24
Found this today in the pond near our old rotting wood pile.  You would have thought he would have been grateful but no!

Always good to see them in the garden.

(http://lh3.ggpht.com/_ViKV0O_Xvmc/SjIqeTyLWXI/AAAAAAAAJZc/cokl5-NV9YY/s400/stag.JPG)
Title: Re: First stag beetle of the year
Post by: Deb P on June 12, 2009, 11:22:31
Fab picture! ;D
Title: Re: First stag beetle of the year
Post by: betula on June 12, 2009, 11:40:25
Yes great detail. :)
Title: Re: First stag beetle of the year
Post by: BarriedaleNick on June 12, 2009, 11:51:53
Ta Deb P and betula - got funny looks from the nieghbours as I was lying on the grass at 8:30 this morning - i think they thought I had been there all night. ;D
Title: Re: First stag beetle of the year
Post by: sarah on June 12, 2009, 13:33:53
great picture. we have been seeing a lot of them round here the last two or three years. we have a huge wood pile and they like it there. in the evenings we see them flying around looking for mates. if youhave never seen one fly ,its the funniest thing ever. they lookso unwieldy. i love them, they are so massive.  :D
Title: Re: First stag beetle of the year
Post by: BarriedaleNick on June 12, 2009, 14:16:30
Sarah - I know what you mean - they look like drunken WW1 fighter planes.
Title: Re: First stag beetle of the year
Post by: thifasmom on June 12, 2009, 14:20:22
lucky both of you, i hope they one day make it to my log piles.
Title: Re: First stag beetle of the year
Post by: sarah on June 12, 2009, 18:56:14
Quote from: thifasmom on June 12, 2009, 14:20:22
lucky both of you, i hope they one day make it to my log piles.

they love rotting wood so if you make a secluded pile to let rot you might get lucky. if you find any big white grubs in the soil when you do your winter digging they are often stag beetle larve so leave them be. although there is a big white grub which is not stag beetle but something less desirable but i cant remember what that is...or how to tell the difference...
Title: Re: First stag beetle of the year
Post by: Georgie on June 12, 2009, 19:57:33
Fab photo, thanks for sharing.  :)

G x
Title: Re: First stag beetle of the year
Post by: littlebabybird on June 12, 2009, 20:47:04
i have to confess i hate them, they scare me badly, but i didnt realise they were goodies

brilliant photo, well done
lbb


Title: Re: First stag beetle of the year
Post by: BarriedaleNick on June 13, 2009, 10:01:36
Quote from: littlebabybird on June 12, 2009, 20:47:04
i have to confess i hate them, they scare me badly, but i didnt realise they were goodies
brilliant photo, well done
lbb

Cheers - If you think they are scary when adult have a look at the larvae!!

(http://lh3.ggpht.com/_ViKV0O_Xvmc/SjNqZHjzsnI/AAAAAAAAJaQ/MpkObvV8tKQ/stag.JPG)
Title: Re: First stag beetle of the year
Post by: shirlton on June 14, 2009, 19:33:47
I have never seen one.
Title: Re: First stag beetle of the year
Post by: GREENWIZARD on June 15, 2009, 15:39:44
a very big boy
great capture=]
Title: Re: First stag beetle of the year
Post by: BarriedaleNick on June 15, 2009, 15:53:10
Cheers GREENWIZARD..

Not sure what happend to me larvae pic so I am reposting..

(http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/gallery/9323_15_06_09_3_51_33.JPG)

Title: Re: First stag beetle of the year
Post by: betula on June 15, 2009, 15:58:06
Yuc............you just put me off my bickie ;D
Title: Re: First stag beetle of the year
Post by: Hector on June 19, 2009, 20:30:29
wow, I have always wanted to see one of these in real life. Magnificent. Do you get them in North of England/Wales...how big is that larva? Looks humungous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Title: Re: First stag beetle of the year
Post by: BarriedaleNick on June 22, 2009, 12:59:37
Hector - I dont think you'll find them in the North or Wales - not in any great numbers at least.
The larvae are quite big - not my pic below you see that they can be over two inches

(http://maria.fremlin.de/stagbeetles/london_larvae.jpg)
Title: Re: First stag beetle of the year
Post by: Hector on June 22, 2009, 13:20:04
My, that is HUGE!!!!!! Very envious :)
Title: Re: First stag beetle of the year
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on June 22, 2009, 17:54:53
They've always been confined to a fairly small area in the south, unfortunately.