Dorcus parallelipipedus
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
Dorcus parallelipipedus, the lesser stag beetle, is a species of stag beetle found in Europe. Both sexes resemble the female greater stag beetle (Lucanus cervus), though they are a uniformly blackish colour rather than having the chestnut brown wing covers (elytra) of the larger species. Males have distinctly knobbed antennae, and although their jaws are somewhat larger than those of the females, they are nowhere near as large as those of many other male stag beetles. The lesser stag beetle is similar in appearance to the related antelope beetle (Dorcus parallelus) of North America. Adults are from 18 to 32 mm (0.7 to 1.3 in) in length.
Like those of other stag beetles, the white, C-shaped larvae feed on wood. Adults as well as larvae are found in very soft decaying wood of broad-leaved trees, especially ash (Fraxinus excelsior), beech (Fagus sylvatica) and apple (Malus spp). Adults cannot eat solid food, but they can drink tree sap and the liquid of fallen fruits.
Adult beetles can be found in woodland, parkland and hedgerows in the summer, often resting in the sun on trees. After they mate, females lay their eggs in rotting... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Plitvice Lakes National Park | 🇭🇷 Croatia | |
| 2 | Białowieża National Park | 🇵🇱 Poland | |
| 3 | Triglav National Park | 🇸🇮 Slovenia | |
| 4 | Biebrza National Park | 🇵🇱 Poland | |
| 5 | Gauja National Park | 🇱🇻 Latvia | |
| 6 | Cévennes National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 7 | Kiskunság National Park | 🇭🇺 Hungary | |
| 8 | Bavarian Forest National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 9 | Picos de Europa National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 10 | Aigüestortes National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 11 | Fertő-Hanság National Park | 🇭🇺 Hungary | |
| 12 | Pyrénées National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 13 | Sierra de Guadarrama National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Lesser Stag Beetle sighting in Madrid on a given day, based on 10 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 274th most-seen of the 457 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
June to August
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Lesser Stag Beetle in Madrid on a given day, against under 5% in September to May, the lowest months. Those are among Madrid's driest months, with about 15 mm of rain a month against 65 mm in October.
Between 6 and 9 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Lesser Stag Beetle sightings with a recorded time, and about half of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is most active around dawn and dusk.
27th of 27
Of the 27 cities where we can rate Lesser Stag Beetle sightings, Madrid ranks 27th at under 5%. The best odds are in Kyiv (Ukraine, about 30%), Kharkiv (Ukraine, about 30%) and Essen (Germany, about 30%).
Same order: Coleoptera
The closest relatives of the Lesser Stag Beetle that you can see in Madrid (order Coleoptera, Beetles) are Seven-Spotted Lady Beetle (about 30%), Elm Leaf Beetle (about 20%) and Heliotaurus ruficollis (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Lesser Stag Beetle is recorded against all the insects logged in Madrid (10 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.
