caught last night

[liveprey]

Thought you'd like to see this beetle I caught under my bug trap. He was actually on the deck below the light mixed in with some junebugs. He's the second one I've seen this year.

 

[lucanidae]

Nice lucanid!!! Haha, like my name!

 

[Stylopidae]

He's a stag beetle...look on elytra and antenna for what species

Hopefully I'll find one when I go buggin later this week.

 

[Jonathan]

What kind of bug trap do you use?
Thanks.

 

[jarrell]

congrats on your awsome catch. nice pics btw.

 

[CustomNature]

Yeah, what kind of bug trap do you use?

 

[Scolopendra55]

It's a male Lucanus capreolus. Very nice looking beetle

 

[Tony]

I kept one for a while, FIERCE predator...He would cut crickets in half!

 

[Stylopidae]

I kept one for a while, FIERCE predator...He would cut crickets in half!

Ummmm...stag beetles eat tree sap. They use their mandibles to fight.

I guess they may be kind of territorial.

 

[lucanidae]

I kept one for a while, FIERCE predator...He would cut crickets in half!

Hey tony, search Carabidae, if it was eating insects, it was most likely one of those. Easy mistake to make.

 

[liveprey]

What kind of bug trap do you use?
Thanks.

I bought a couple of Bug Nappers made by Zoo Med Laboratories, Inc. I hang them by my outside light, turn them and my outside light on and collect all kinds of critters, mainly for feeding my T's. I've got 2 big Junebugs in one right now. I also have a small spider that has taken up residence in one of them. He has gone through 2 molts in there.
To Cheshire:
Hopefully I'll find one when I go buggin later this week.
Better bring a shovel, when I let him go (during the daytime), he burrowed straight into the dirt. I let this one go then decided to get some pictures a couple minutes later. Went back and he was gone. Turned up the dirt and he popped back out. He wasn't too happy about that...Later, Chris

 

[liveprey]

Does anyone have a picture of a female? The male above was caught in southwest Michigan.

 

[Stylopidae]

Females are going to resemble males with smaller, but much stronger mandibles.

No pic to speak of, sorry. Check elytra and antenna, or do a GIS

 

[BeetleExperienc]

Stag Beetle: Lucanus placidus

These are Lucanus placidus (not capreolus). Here is a link to my gallery for them (includes pics of females):

http://www.beetle-experience.com/gal-placidus-4l.htm

The most common way to collect beetles/moths is to hang a white bed-sheet vertically and shine light on it after dark.

Liveprey: You might also add a fluorescent blacklight to your arsenal (the incandescent/buld ones, also called "blacklights" are no good). You can usually find a whole fixture, bulb and all, at Wal-mart or Home Depot for pretty cheap. Really good pics BTW.

These are not predacious in any way.

Best,
Steven

 

[BeetleExperienc]

Liveprey

Please e-mail me at: info@beetle-experience.com

Thanks,
Steven