{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "stag-beetle",
  "name": "Stag Beetle",
  "scientificName": "Lucanus cervus",
  "category": "Insect",
  "summary": "The stag beetle (Lucanus cervus) is one of Europe's largest land beetles, named for the antler-like jaws that males wave and wrestle with like tiny deer. Adults reach up to 7.5 cm long and live only a few weeks to months, while the grubs spend three to six years feeding on rotting wood underground. Found in old woodlands, parks, and gardens, the species is listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN, largely because dead wood is being cleared from the landscape.",
  "conservationStatus": "Near Threatened",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Arthropoda",
    "class": "Insecta",
    "order": "Coleoptera",
    "family": "Lucanidae",
    "genus": "Lucanus"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 0.005,
    "lengthM": 0.07,
    "topSpeedKmh": 5,
    "lifespanYears": 1
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Lucanus cervus"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Larvae eat rotting wood; adults take tree sap and fruit juices"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Old woodlands, parks, and gardens with dead wood"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "Larvae 3–6 years; adults a few weeks to months"
    },
    {
      "label": "Length",
      "value": "Up to 7.5 cm (3 in) in large males"
    },
    {
      "label": "Jaws",
      "value": "Antler-like mandibles in males"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Near Threatened (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Old woodlands and parks across Europe and parts of western Asia.",
    "continents": [
      "Europe",
      "Asia"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "IUCN Red List — Lucanus cervus.",
      "url": "https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Lucanus%20cervus&searchType=species"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Animal Diversity Web — Lucanus cervus. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.",
      "url": "https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Lucanus_cervus/"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Wikipedia — Stag Beetle.",
      "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucanus_cervus"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/stag-beetle/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/stag-beetle/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}