Stag beetle sightings needed

Residents in and around Upton upon Severn are being encouraged to report sightings of the UK’s biggest ground-living beetles.

The riverside town and local area are a hotspot for stag beetles, a rarity in the county. These giants of the beetle world measure 7-8cm and derive their name for the antler-like jaws of the males. These jaws, harmless to humans, help the males to fight each other for the attention of emails.

Wendy Carter, communications lead for Worcestershire Wildlife Trust and spokesperson for the Wildlife Sightings scheme, explained “Worcestershire is at the northern edge of their range in the UK and so far we’ve only got confirmed records for them living in and around the Upton area.

“Residents here should be really proud to have such amazing and rare insects in their town and surrounding villages; they’re globally threatened and are protected by law in the UK.

“They’re a key species for conservation in Worcestershire and we’re encouraging anyone who spots a stag beetle to fill in a short form on our website in order to submit the sighting to the county database.

“The UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world – knowing where our wildlife is and how it’s doing helps us to understand more about what needs to be done to help it.”

Stag beetle on tree bark - chestnut-brown beetle with large antler-like jaws — Stag beetle by Eleanor Reast

Stag beetle larvae live in buried dead wood for five to seven years before emerging as adults. The beetles are dependent on dead or rotting wood to breed – this is one reason their numbers have been dropping; we have a tendency to ‘tidy’ gardens and recreational areas.

Wendy continued “Our insistence on tidying our gardens, parks and other outdoor spaces is incredibly bad news for stag beetles and other invertebrates that rely on rotting timber and log piles.

“41% of our insects are at risk of extinction so as part of the Trust’s Action for Insects campaign, we’re encouraging everyone to give some thought as to what they can do to help boost insect numbers.

“Residents in and around Upton, for example, could create log piles and bury timber into quiet, shady corners of their garden. The best type of wood to bury is from native broadleaved trees – oak or beech, for example – with the bark still attached.

“These piles don’t need to be too high and allowing vegetation to grow over them creates more habitat for more wildlife.”

Depending on the weather, stag beetles emerge from June and have already been spotted this year. They can often be spotted ‘sunbathing’ on warm pavements and roads so anyone who spots one in these locations should carefully and gently move them to a safe place.

There are other simple actions that people can take to help, such as covering water butts or ensuring there is a way for beetles and other wildlife to climb out should they fall in.

The adults live for around 40 days and the males tend to be more active as they need to fly in order to find females. Lucky residents may even spot two males sparring with their antlers.

Anyone who sees a stag beetle should take a photo and report it via the Wildlife Sightings short form.

For ideas about helping insects visit Action for Insects.