MN Extension Service
Insect Journal

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Beneficial/Neutral Insects

Beetles, Bugs and Insects without Obvious Wings

stag beetle, Lucanus spp.

Stag Beetle

stag beetle drawing

Appearance:

This beetle is 7/8 -1 1/8 inch long.   Males have particularly large mandibles (jaws).

Where/When: Found in wooded areas or sites where trees occur.   Active during summer.
Significance: Larvae live in dead or decaying logs or stumps where they help decompose the wood.   Despite the size of their mandibles, stag beetles can not hurt people or pets.
Department of Entomology Insect Journal MN Extension Service