Dorcus parallelipipedus
In 3 days ~40% in a week ~70%
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 |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Lesser Stag Beetle sighting in Sofia on a given day, based on 15 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 22nd most-seen of the 115 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 40%, and over a week to about 70%, if each day is a fresh chance.
June
In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Lesser Stag Beetle in Sofia on a given day, against under 5% in September to March, the lowest months. That is one of Sofia's wettest months, with about 85 mm of rain against 40 mm in November.
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.
9th of 27
Of the 27 cities where we can rate Lesser Stag Beetle sightings, Sofia ranks 9th at about 20%. 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 Sofia (order Coleoptera, Beetles) are Asian Lady Beetle (about 50%), Seven-Spotted Lady Beetle (about 30%) and 22-Spot Ladybird (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 Sofia (15 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.
