Massive Giant Flying Stag Beetle Plague

[weltweit]

Probably all flocking from Eastern Europe or something

those bloody flockers

 

[Mrs Magpie]

They are so rare elsewhere in Britain now, but less rare in the Thames valley.

 

[pogofish]

Is this normal or are we under attack?

Quite normal.

It will be the Hawk Moths next.

 

[gaijingirl]

I remember seeing loads of these as a kid - haven't seen any for years, but there seem to be some in the park - spotted a family oohing and aahing over one a few days ago..

 

[Greenfish]

lovely things, but wouldn't want one in my pants.

 

[Cliffite]

I feel really guilty saying this but one of my cats ate a beetle that flew through I window. I thought it was a Garden Beetle (from my near total Beetle ignorance) but it could have been a female from that picture. We're not far from the park either.

Could a stag beetle fly though a third floor window?

 

[ska invita]

They seem to fly when theres a heatwave. Or at least the one time i saw one it was hot. and you saw one and it was hot. Case proven and closed.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

Could a stag beetle fly though a third floor window?

Easily. I used to live in a tower block 10 floors up and they were always blundering in. They fly upright and look very ungainly and make an amazing whirring sound.
ing
I shall try and find a pic.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

First result for 'stag beetle in flight'

I see it's from the site I posted the link to earlier.

 

[kyser_soze]

beetles the size of mice

Awesome phrase.

 

[gentlegreen]

First result for 'stag beetle in flight'

*scarpers*

 

[Mrs Magpie]

make an amazing whirring sound.

....and on the same page as that pic (loads more amazing pics too) is the sound of them flying....scroll right down to the last paragraph to find it.

http://maria.fremlin.de/stagbeetles/andras/flying_aa.html

 

[weltweit]

So where do they come from

where do they go to ..

What is their story ?

Where do they go in winter?

 

[Mrs Magpie]

Check out the link I posted....all you ever wanted to know about stag beetles.....

 

[weltweit]

Check out the link I posted....all you ever wanted to know about stag beetles.....

ta

 

[Sigmund Fraud]

When I lived in Raleigh Gardens just round the corner from Josephine Ave (lived there 1993-95) there were tons of big stag beetles that used to flap around the street lights on summer evenings. Glad they're still about

 

[Badgers]

Stag beetle survey launched by London Wildlife Trust

Londoners are being urged to report sightings of a threatened stag beetle. Campaigners say London is a hotspot for stag beetles - and is nationally significant for the population it supports.

Link for sightings here - http://www.gigl.org.uk/Submitrecords/StaggeringGains/tabid/121/Default.aspx

I really like the Stag Beetles (what is not to like?) and we used to get loads in our garden where I grew up. We did have a lot of trees and wood about.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

This is probably a stupid question - but can those massive jaws do any damage or are they there just for show?

Only if you are on a branch and are another male stag beetle...

http://www.arkive.org/stag-beetle/lucanus-cervus/video-09a.html

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

I saw one today with it's head chopped off.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

Probably by a magpie.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

Not me though.

http://maria.fremlin.de/stagbeetles/photos_lc_corpses.html

 

[Badgers]

I did find a Stag beetle larvae once.
It was bloody huge!

 

[Mrs Magpie]

If you want to attract stag beetles and get them to breed, fill a bucket (with a hole in it, dear Liza, for drainage, a hole) with wood chips and sprinkle powdered ginger on top. Stag beetles are attracted to the smell of ginger.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

link

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12132360

 

[Mrs Magpie]

Sink the bucket in the ground. I forgot to say that. A shady spot is best.

 

[Pickman's model]

Sink the bucket in the ground. I forgot to say that. A shady spot is best.

for their privacy, no doubt. after all, they'd be less likely to breed if someone was spying on their love.

 

[story]

I saw one in Brockwell Park many years ago. And I found one in my garden a few years back.

And by the way, I have heard crickets in my garden the last few summers

 

[swampster]

I saw a female stag beetle on Rush Common today - at least someone who knew their beetles assured me it was one. I think they are beautiful.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

Here's how to do a stag beetle bucket...they say to put bark chippings in it but someone I know who knows a lot about beetles said wood chippings....the powdered ginger really works though, which is a recent discovery
http://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/projects/insects-stag-beetle-bucket/

 

[Mrs Magpie]

....and here's how to make a model of a stag beetle from paper...

http://paperkraft.blogspot.com/2008/02/3dpaper-korean-beetle-insect-papercraft.html

http://papercraftprintable.com/stag-and-atlas-beetle-paper-model/