Reddish-Brown Stag Beetle (Lucanus capreolus)

These are alot smaller then the piccie implies.

I found one today. It shocked me because I didn't think I'd see one period. Any stag beetle really. Upon further research I've also had a revelation that all the beetle grubs I have seen over the years might have been Lucanus capreolus..........and now I find an adult male.

Icing on the cake no? Bugguide has the following information:

Found at lights, at bait, and around decaying logs, stumps, where it breeds. Males use mandibles to fight at breeding sites. Eggs are deposited in rotting wood.

Larvae live in decaying wood of deciduous trees. They take two years to develop, pupate in nearby soil.

-Bugguide

And they're also attracted to lights?........this is further fueling my desire to run downstairs and "bait" whatever's around here but I don't have the proper equipment to do so and wouldn't know where to get it. XD

I will look into it though......for next year of course. *^^* Will be digging up additional information on these later possibly for another entry......who knows?

*List of other bugs goes here* ← For later.....^^