STAGS IN THE GARDEN

Caught this beetle under my insect trapping glass as it wandered round the patio.  When interfered with it drew in its legs and froze.  This is a typical reaction of  the Lesser Stag Beetle (Dorcus parallelipipedus).

It is quite common in woods and gardens.  The larvae grow inside rotting tree stumps, especially ash, beech and apple, while the adults feed on tree sap.  

With its small 'antlers' - really jaws - it resembles the female of its cousin the larger Stag Beetle (Lucanus cervus), but this species is all black whereas the female Stag Beetle has brown wing cases and is much larger.

There is a fascinating bugblog by Africa Gomez for those of you who want further info on lesser stag beetles and all sorts of UK bugs.  Though I realise  bluebells and children get more likes than invertebrates.

Female stag left and lesser stag right from Maria Fremlin's fantastic website

And here are a male and female Lucanus Stag Beetle also on Maria Fremlin's  website

Unfortunately the larger Lucanus stag beetles are in decline because there is not enough dead wood left by over-tidy people.  They are more or less restricted to south-east England.  The beetles, I mean, not the people.