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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 ~70% in a week >90%
18 Verified sightings at Plitvice Lakes National Park From 2019 to 2026
505 In all 10 parks
July 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 Plitvice Lakes National Park
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 Plitvice Lakes National Park
Before you go
What are the chances of seeing a European Stag Beetle in Plitvice Lakes National Park?
Likely
About 40% of wildlife watchers report a European Stag Beetle sighting in Plitvice Lakes National Park on a given day, based on 18 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 10th most-seen of the 51 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 70%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
When is the best time to see a European Stag Beetle in Plitvice Lakes National Park?
July
In that month about 60% of wildlife watchers report a European Stag Beetle in Plitvice Lakes National Park on a given day, against under 5% in April–May and October, the lowest months. December has too few records to rate.
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 Plitvice Lakes National Park the best place to see a European Stag Beetle?
Among the best
Of the 10 parks where we can rate European Stag Beetle sightings, Plitvice Lakes National Park ranks 2nd at about 40%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Triglav National Park (Slovenia, 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 Plitvice Lakes National Park (18 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
