# Is This Elephant Stag Beetle Larvae?



## DITB (Sep 11, 2010)

im hopinh this is Lucanus elaphus .....anyone have any idea? also i little info on there life cycle as larvae and pupae would be good to know
i found them in my backyard under a rotting log


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## BeetleExperienc (Sep 12, 2010)

No, not a stag at all, stags have vertical anal slits - 

http://bugguide.net/node/view/38694/bgimage


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## BeetleExperienc (Sep 12, 2010)

With that really dark head capsule they might actually be D. tityus.


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## Terry D (Sep 12, 2010)

I can't find nothin but betsy bugs!


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## jt39565 (Sep 12, 2010)

Those look like what we call grub worms? Basically a pest that farmers despise.


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## jt39565 (Sep 13, 2010)

Yep what I thought do a search for images under the topic "Grub Worms"


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## BeetleExperienc (Sep 13, 2010)

These are probably a Rhino beetle grub actually, like Strategus or Dynastes, much larger than anything that would bother a farmer, unless they were farming rotten hardwood logs or compost.

You may be thinking of the grubs of what most people call "June bugs" or maybe one of the flower beetles - less than half the size of these guys.


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## jt39565 (Sep 13, 2010)

go to http://www.greensmiths.com/grubs.htm
This is what was found under the log.


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## BeetleExperienc (Sep 13, 2010)

Terry - you should have lots of great stuff up there - like Dynastes, Strategus and three species of Lucanus. Found Lucanus elephus up near you in May.

Setup a blacklight or visit parking lots in June and July next year. P.M. me if you want detailed info on some spots to check..


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## DITB (Sep 13, 2010)

i have found 2 tityus this year i still have one of the females and the other died about a month ago....checked my blacklight everynight to find them
my main goal was to get elephant stags  
but these are still nice to have 
thanks for the help to ID it


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## kevin1995 (Sep 13, 2010)

The larvae's head of stags are usually much more lighter (almost orangish) and more smooth. The outer side of the mandibles are rather much more straight then that of those shown in your pictures. By the size, I agree that it is one of the two north american dynasties.


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## DITB (Sep 13, 2010)

welp i just now checked the tityus i had left and i think she is dying  sucks that i was never even able to find a male to breed with either of the 2 females i found


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## Terry D (Sep 13, 2010)

BeetleExperienc said:


> Terry - you should have lots of great stuff up there - like Dynastes, Strategus and three species of Lucanus. Found Lucanus elephus up near you in May.
> 
> Setup a blacklight or visit parking lots in June and July next year. P.M. me if you want detailed info on some spots to check..


Hello, I was kinda joking in that post but then again, adults of D tityus remain extremely hard to find ime. I've found 1 adult female dead along with various body parts over the years- no doubt I merely need to hit the timing of emergence right. Highest frequencies of other area observations point at early to mid/June- I'm guessing that dependant upon temps, humidity, moon phases, etc. My work often keeps me from going at opportunistic times. I've also found 1 or more spp of Lucanus but not the big guy. Thanks for the encouragement! Pm about to be sent.

Terry


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## Elytra and Antenna (Sep 17, 2010)

They're very smooth, they look like Xyloryctes.


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## Elytra and Antenna (Sep 18, 2010)

They are not Dynastes nor Strategus.


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