Lucanus cervus (Linnaeus, 1758)
(Stag Beetle)

Taxonomic hierarchy:
SpeciesLucanus cervus (Stag Beetle)
FamilyLUCANIDAE (stag and rhinocerus beetles)
SuperfamilySCARABAEOIDEA (scarabs, dung and stag beetles)
Series Scarabaeiformia (scarabs, dung and stag beetles)
SuborderPOLYPHAGA (mainly terrestrial beetles)
OrderCOLEOPTERA (beetles)
Division Endopterygota (bees, beetles, flies, moths and other insects with wings developing internally)
InfraclassNeoptera (bees, beetles, flies, grasshoppers, moths and other advanced insects)
SubclassPTERYGOTA (bees, beetles, dragonflies, flies, grasshoppers, moths and other winged insects)
ClassINSECTA (true insects)
SubphylumHEXAPODA (insects and other 6-legged organisms)
PhylumARTHROPODA (arthropods)
SuperphylumECDYSOZOA (skin shedders)
CladeBilateria (bilaterally symmetrical animals)
SubkingdomEUMETAZOA (metazoans)
KingdomANIMALIA (animals)
DomainEukaryota (eukaryotes)
LifeBIOTA (living things)
Records of Lucanus cervus (Stag Beetle) :
1: Lucanus cervus (Stag Beetle)
28 Oct 2017 OSGR: SU00 50° 50’ N, 1° 60’ W Vice County: Dorset (VC 9) England
2 large larvae, under rotting sleeper
Image 1: Larva - head and thorax - lateral view - natural backgroundImage 2: Larva - head and thorax - lateral view - natural background (2)Image 3: Larva - lateral view - natural backgroundImage 4: Larva - lateral view - natural background (2)Image 5: Tunnel in lawn under sleeper after a few daysImage 6: Tunnel in underside of sleeperImage 7: Larva - head - anterior view, and tail - posterior view - enlarged - natural backgroundImage 8: Larva - head - anterior view - enlarged - natural backgroundImage 9: Larva - head - anterior view - enlarged - natural background (2)
2: Lucanus cervus (Stag Beetle)
29 May 2014 OSGR: SU00 50° 50’ N, 1° 60’ W Vice County: Dorset (VC 9) England
Male, on wooden retaining wall, at 8:30pm
Image 1: Male - dorsal view - natural backgroundImage 2: Male - dorso-lateral view - natural backgroundImage 3: Male - head and Image 4: Male - latero-dorsal view - natural background
3: Lucanus cervus (Stag Beetle)
15 May 2014 OSGR: SU00 50° 50’ N, 1° 60’ W Vice County: Dorset (VC 9) England
Female, alighted on decking in garden
Image 1: Female - dorsal view - natural backgroundImage 2: Female - dorsal view - natural background (2)Image 3: Female - dorso-lateral viewImage 4: Female - dorso-lateral view - natural backgroundImage 5: Female - dorso-lateral view - natural background (2)Image 6: Female - head and antennae - antero-dorsal view - natural backgroundImage 7: Female - head and antennae - dorsal view - natural backgroundImage 8: Female - head and antennae - dorsal view - natural background (2)Image 9: Female - lateral view - natural backgroundImage 10: Female - latero-dorsal view - natural backgroundImage 11: Female - ventral view
4: Lucanus cervus (Stag Beetle)
10 Oct 2004 OSGR: TQ96 51° 20’ N, 0° 50’ E Vice County: West Kent (VC 16) England
Two larvae in very rotten stump
Image 1: Larva - lateral view - close-up
5: Lucanus cervus (Stag Beetle)
12 Jun 2003 OSGR: SU77 51° 30’ N, 0° 60’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
Male
Image 1: Male - dorsal viewImage 2: Male - latero-dorsal viewImage 3: Male - latero-dorsal view (2)Image 4: Male - ventral viewImage 5: Male - antenna and Image 6: Male - head and thorax - ventral - enlargedImage 7: Male - thorax, head, antennae and Image 8: Thorax, head and Image 9: Thorax, head and
6: Lucanus cervus (Stag Beetle)
5 Jun 1976 OSGR: SU77 51° 30’ N, 0° 60’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
Image 1: Male - anterolateral view - in situImage 2: Male - dorsal view - close-up - in situImage 3: Male - dorsal view - in situImage 4: Male - lateral view - close-up - in situImage 5: Male - lateral view - in situ
7: Lucanus cervus (Stag Beetle)
22 May 1976 OSGR: SU77 51° 30’ N, 0° 60’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
Dead at roadside, being scavenged by ants
Image 1: Dead Stag Beetle, at roadside, being scavenged by ants

Identification Works

AuthorYearTitleSource
Fremlin, M. Stag beetles - Love is all they need maria.fremlin.de/stagbeetles/index.html
Sterry, P. 2002 Male Stag Beetles Vol 13, No. 4 Page: Front cover

Lucanus cervus (Stag Beetle) may also be included in identification literature listed under the following higher taxa:

NBNNBN (data.nbn.org.uk) has a distribution map for Lucanus cervus (Stag Beetle)
BioInfoBioInfo (www.bioinfo.org.uk) has 7 host/parasite/foodplant and/or other relationships for Lucanus cervus (Stag Beetle)
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