Stag beetle – Lucanuscervus (Linnaeus)

Stag beetle is one of our largest, the most interesting and the most famous of our coleopteran. It was named after large bumps on the head of the male which resemble deer's stag. It inhabits oak woods where it feeds on the sap that oak trees exude at the places of crevices. The destruction of oak woods, particularly of old trees, which are necessary for the survival of this species, has been an important diminution of the influence on its number leading to the extinction of the stag beetle from many parts of Europe. Because of the jeopardy of this species and its habitat it is classified as an endangered species in many countries.