Stag Beetles

[Jacobospider5]

Does anyone know how to find these in CA? Also, are there any online dealers? Thanks!

 

[pannaking22]

Adults can likely be found around lights after dark or at sap flows. If you want larvae, you may have luck breaking open rotten hardwood logs. Bugs in Cyberspace has them occasionally and I've seen a few people here on AB post with them for sale from time to time. Are you a member of beetleforum.net?

 

[Tenevanica]

bugsincyberspace.com is the only dealer that I know of that will occasionally have them for sale. If what you mean by "stage beetle" is an insect with extremely large mandibles the genus Lucanus is what you'd be looking for. Those don't occur in California. Insects that are taxinomically considered stage beetles are beetles in the family Lucanidae.

The only stage beetles you'd find in California would look something like this:
http://bugguide.net/node/view/942113/bgimage

I assume what you are looking for is something like this:
http://bugguide.net/node/view/904589/bgimage

Your best bet is to buy. If you're still want to look, check inside of decaying hardwood logs to find larvae and check in forests to find adults. The adults may be attracted to light. Hope this helps!

 

[Vinegaroonie]

The only stage beetles you'd find in California would look something like this:
http://bugguide.net/node/view/942113/bgimage

We have the rugose stag too!
Not much of a stag but still lucanidae...
Go on beetleforum.com , they have stags and rhinos for sale a lot.

 

[Hisserdude]

Californa has: Ceruchus, Platyceroides, Platycerus, and Sinodendron.

 

[Vinegaroonie]

Most of those aren't stag-like thought

 

[Ratmosphere]

I'm selling a male and female Lucanus elaphus. PM me if you're interested!

 

[klawfran3]

All non-native beetles (save for Lucanidae sp.) and phasmids are illegal to own in the USA. Because of this, many of the the beetles that you, me, and everyone else wants have to be native here. And being that the USA doesn't have any tropical rainforests where the huge beetles are usually found, our native insects are usually much smaller and less impressive. Lucanus elaphus and Dynastes tityus are the largest ones we have. Like mentioned above there are a couple sellers who sell them on an occasional basis, but I have noticed that here in the USA they don't *usually* sell in pairs for some of the species and often in only one sex (male), preventing people from breeding them and giving the seller a monopoly on the beetle business here since it's already not very big.

 

[Vinegaroonie]

Klawfran, I'n nearly positive non-native stags are legal in California. I've emailed an inquiry on it and they replied "yes, but only lucannidae spp."

 

[klawfran3]

Klawfran, I'n nearly positive non-native stags are legal in California. I've emailed an inquiry on it and they replied "yes, but only lucannidae spp."

Really? I haven't heard of this. Who did you contact? Excuse me if I gave out wrong information, I'll delete it.

 

[Tenevanica]

All non-native beetles (save for Lucanidae sp.) and phasmids are illegal to own in the USA. Because of this, many of the the beetles that you, me, and everyone else wants have to be native here. And being that the USA doesn't have any tropical rainforests where the huge beetles are usually found, our native insects are usually much smaller and less impressive. Lucanus elaphus and Dynastes tityus are the largest ones we have. Like mentioned above there are a couple sellers who sell them on an occasional basis, but I have noticed that here in the USA they don't *usually* sell in pairs for some of the species and often in only one sex (male), preventing people from breeding them and giving the seller a monopoly on the beetle business here since it's already not very big.

I don't know what dealers you work with, but Peter from bugsincyberspace.com offers larva and adult sexed pairs of Dynastes sp and stag beetles. Every few years I will drive down to Arizona and collect Dynastes tityus, and I would be willing to sell. I don't breed them though because if I did I would run out of wood really quickly. Rotting hardwood is a rare resource in Colorado.

 

[Hisserdude]

Rotting hardwood is a rare resource in Colorado.

Same here, that's why I'm making some out of Traeger wood pellets! It takes about a month, but it's gonna be worth it!

 

[Tenevanica]

Same here, that's why I'm making some out of Traeger wood pellets! It takes about a month, but it's gonna be worth it!

Are you going to ferment them? I'd be interested in knowing the process.

 

[Hisserdude]

Yes I'm fermenting them. Beetle forum.net has a bunch of info on the process. Basically you get some Traeger pellets, pour hot water on them and they pop and expand into a bunch of sawdust, kinda like the coconut fiber bricks. Then you dry out the sawdust, mix it with flour and yeast, wet it again, and put it in a well ventilated container and shake it up daily for a month, and there you have it! Also, while it's fermenting, the temperature of the wood rises, and it feels really warm to the touch. When it is done fermenting, the temperature goes back to normal.

 

[Lucanus95]

Every few years I will drive down to Arizona and collect Dynastes tityus, and I would be willing to sell. I don't breed them though because if I did I would run out of wood really quickly. Rotting hardwood is a rare resource in Colorado.

I believe the species you are referring to is D. grantii since tityus aren't found in AZ

 

[Tenevanica]

I believe the species you are referring to is D. grantii since tityus aren't found in AZ

Yes that is correct. I typed the wrong thing. I promise you I know the regional difference!

 

[Tenevanica]

I believe the species you are referring to is D. grantii since tityus aren't found in AZ

Yes I did. I accidentaly typed the wrong species name.