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European Stag Beetle
Lucanus cervus
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumArthropoda (Arthropods)
- ClassInsecta (Insects)
- OrderColeoptera (Beetles)
- FamilyLucanidae (Stag Beetles)
- GenusLucanus
- SpeciesLucanus cervus (European Stag Beetle)
In 3 days ~50% in a week ~80%
689 Verified sightings at London
505 In all 10 parks From 2019 to 2026
June Best month
☀️🌙 Day & Night When it's spotted
About the European Stag Beetle
Lucanus cervus, known as the European stag beetle, or the greater stag beetle, is one of the best-known species of stag beetle (family Lucanidae) in Western Europe, and is the eponymous example of the genus. L. cervus is listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN Red List.
Lucanus cervus is situated in the genus Lucanus within the family Lucanidae. The species L. cervus contains four subspecies. The nominate subspecies L. cervus cervus (Linnaeus, 1758) was established via the original description of the species in 1758.
The European stag beetle is the largest beetle in Europe. Their colour is usually black with reddish elytra (and red mandibles in males). Sexually dimorphic, the males have enlarged mandibles and are larger than the females. Although the male's mandibles seem threatening, they are too weak to be harmful. Nevertheless, females can inflict a painful bite. The resemblance of the male's mandibles to... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of European Stag Beetle in London
LIVEiNaturalistGlobal Distribution
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Triglav National Park | 🇸🇮 Slovenia | |
| 2 | Plitvice Lakes National Park | 🇭🇷 Croatia | |
| 3 | Picos de Europa National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 4 | Cévennes National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 5 | Pyrénées National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 6 | Fertő-Hanság National Park | 🇭🇺 Hungary | |
| 7 | Aigüestortes National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 8 | Sierra de Guadarrama National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 9 | Bavarian Forest National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 10 | Ecrins National Park | 🇫🇷 France |
Closest Relatives at London
Before you go
What are the chances of seeing a European Stag Beetle in London?
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a European Stag Beetle sighting in London on a given day, based on 689 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 31st most-seen of the 1504 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 50%, and over a week to about 80%, if each day is a fresh chance.
When is the best time to see a European Stag Beetle in London?
June
In that month about 50% of wildlife watchers report a European Stag Beetle in London on a given day, against under 5% in September to January, the lowest months.
What time of day is best to see a European Stag Beetle?
Between 6 and 9 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most European Stag Beetle sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is seen both by day and at night.
Is London the best place to see a European Stag Beetle?
3rd of 13
Of the 13 cities where we can rate European Stag Beetle sightings, London ranks 3rd at about 20%. The best odds are in Kharkiv (Ukraine, about 50%) and Kyiv (Ukraine, about 40%).
Where does the European Stag Beetle sighting chance come from?
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the European Stag Beetle is recorded against all the insects logged in London (689 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
