Wildlife: Big beetle signals amazing recovery in our ancient woods

Many people will have heard of stag beetles, the males of which have huge mandibles like the antlers of a red deer stag and used in territorial battles between rivals.

Not so widely known is the slightly smaller ‘lesser stag beetle’ which lacks the impressive antlers. Nevertheless, this is a stunning insect. Both beetles are southern in their distribution in England, but excitingly, are spreading northwards. Lesser stags are large beetles with broad heads, big mandibles, and distinctively knobbed antennae. They are distinguished from the small-jawed, female stag beetle by having all-black wing cases.

During the summer, adult beetles are to be found in woods, parks, hedgerows, and larger gardens with trees. In these places, they rest in the sun on suitable tree trunks. They mate and lay their eggs in a decaying wood as the larvae need big, old trees with rotting wood where they live and feed. Larvae tend to be found in the dead wood of ash, common beech, and even old apple-trees. Adults may be spotted when flying at night and are drawn to outside lights.

With climate change it is clear that these striking insects are spreading northwards. However, there is more to the story than this, and so I was really excited to get a record of lesser stag from SCC Ranger Nell Dixon from the Woodland Discovery Centre in Sheffield’s Ecclesall Woods. So far this summer, she has recorded two and other records go back a couple of years. Back in the 1980s when I was City Ecologist for Sheffield City Council, the various natural history and conservation organisations developed strategies and policies to increase deadwood habitat (vital for insects such as these, but in desperately short supply at the time because of twentieth-century forestry). The initiative was driven by key individuals within City Council departments and part of a Europe-wide strategy to improve woodland habitats. I believe a major reason for these wonderful beetles becoming established in our area is the long-term consequence of that policy. Let me know if you spot one!

Professor Ian D. Rotherham, researcher, writer & broadcaster on wildlife & environmental issues, is contactable on [email protected] ; follow Ian’s blog (https://ianswalkonthewildside.wordpress.com/ ) and Twitter @IanThewildside