Cervo volante Lucanus cervus

The largest in Europe

A loud buzzing... A heavy flight at sunset... Reflections of light on its dark body... And there it is, the largest insect in Europe...
Perched on the trunk of an oak tree, a young male shows the world his large, powerful mandibles... but don't be afraid... It is the stag beetle, one of the most fascinating inhabitants of the woods around us. In its larval form, it spent several years among oak and chestnut trees, feeding on dead wood and thus contributing to the renewal of the forest that hosts it.
Like deer, it uses its large jaws like horns to push its opponents off the branches and thus attract the attention of the females, which are smaller and less conspicuous.
Elsewhere, the stag beetle is becoming increasingly rare because ancient forests have been reduced and those who manage them often remove stumps and dead or rotting wood, which provide a welcoming nursery for the development of larvae.
If one summer evening you hear a deep buzzing sound and see an imposing silhouette crossing the air... say hello: it is the true “lord of the forest”!

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