Description
Adult captive born and bred Reddish-Brown Stag Beetle, Lucanus capreolus. This US native beetle is one of the larger stag beetles most often found along the Eastern coast and Midwest, and are known for their deep red color and orange/yellow legs. Males have larger, curved, pointed mandibles used primarily for digging and sparring with other males, while female beetles have small, sharp mandibles that and are more suited to burrowing under and into the rotten wood for laying eggs. These feisty beetles can pinch with their mandibles, but are not venomous or otherwise dangerous. They are capable of flight but do not fly often in captivity and are generally poor flyers.
Care is straightforward. A small terrarium is suitable for a single beetle, provided it has a couple of inches of loose substrate for burrowing. Sticks, pieces of cork, or other bark should be placed inside as means for the beetles to climb and to aid in righting themselves if flipped onto their backs. Keeping the substrate slightly moist and humid will prolong your beetles’ lifespan; coconut coir/fiber is ideal for retaining moisture, preventing mold growth, and reducing scuffs and scratches on their exoskeletons. Males and females should be kept solo to prevent fighting. Adult stag beetles are sap feeders in nature and, in captivity, will eat soft, sweet, ripe fruits such as banana, mango, cantaloupe, and honeydew. Avoid feeding citrus. They can also be fed diluted pure maple syrup or prepared beetle jelly, either commercially produced or homemade.
These beetles undergo a cold hibernation period of at least four months at 10 °C (50°F) during their dormant period after emerging from pupation. While dormancy times vary from beetle to beetle, they are shipped after removal from cold hibernation and will remain buried and dormant for an additional period before becoming surface active. Total dormancy can vary quite a bit, so it’s possible they can remain dormant for up to another 2-4 months. Offer food once they become surface active; at that point, active adult beetles typically live for an additional 4-6 months.
Males are sold based on size, beetles with pronounced mandibles are considered “major” males, while those under 30mm with smaller mandibles are generally considered “minor” males. Beetle size primarily results from the availability and quality of food during their first two larval instars.
Each beetle will be accompanied by a “beetle birth certificate” detailing the important dates in your beetle’s life.
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