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Stag Beetle


Stag Beetle
Photo Information
Copyright: Mircea Costina (mirceax) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 231 W: 56 N: 1354] (6247)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-06-22
Categories: Insects
Camera: Nikon D50, Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG Macro
Exposure: f/9.0, 1/200 seconds
Details: (Fill) Flash: Yes
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-06-24 16:50
Viewed: 1023
Points: 28
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Lucanus cervus is the best-known species of stag beetle (family Lucanidae), and is sometimes referred to simply as the stag beetle. It lives in holes in old trees and dead trunks, in the forest as well as in groves. Forest management, in eliminating old trees and deadwood, eliminates at the same time the habitat and food of this species. Once quite common, the population of the Lucanus cervus, along with that of other species of beetles which feed on wood, is in steep decline, and is now listed as a globally threatened/declining species.

Adults appear during late May to the beginning of August being most active in the evenings. Females lay their eggs in a piece of decaying wood. Stag Beetle larvae, which are blind and shaped like a letter "C", feed on rotting wood in a variety of places, tree stumps, old trees and shrubs, rotting fence posts, compost heaps and leaf mould. The larvae have a cream-coloured soft transparent body with six orange legs, and an orange head which is very distinct from the very sharp brown pincers. They have combs in their legs which they use for communication (stridulation) with other larvae. The larvae go through several developmental stages (instars), taking 4 to 6 years to become pupae. The work of entomologist Charlie Morgan during the late 1970s discovered that the pupae of the Stag Beetle live in the soil for about 3 months, then emerge in summer to awkwardly fly off to mate. Adults only live for a few months feeding on nectar and tree sap. Their slow, lumbering flight, usually at dusk, makes a distinctive low-pitched buzzing sound. The males fly more readily than the females. The modern Italian word for a toy kite cervo volante (and hence the French cerf-volant) may derive from the ancient amusement of flying the beetles on a length of thread.

The stag beetle is preyed upon by magpies, chickens, badgers, foxes, hedgehogs, cats, and woodpeckers.

The natural reaction of the beetle to an approaching large object is to remain motionless making them a good photographic subject. Sexually dimorphic, the males have enlarged mandibles and are larger than the females. Although the male's mandibles seem threatening, they are too weak to be harmful. Nevertheless, females can inflict a painful bite. It is the resemblance of the male's mandibles to the horns of a stag, and their use in combat between males, much like with deer, that gives the species its scientific and common names.

source:http://en.wikipedia.org
nglen, Proframe, IulianGherghel, Alex99, Luis52 has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To parvulescubio: salmirceax 1 06-25 16:32
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Critiques [Translate]

This is damn good Mircea!
Love the outstanding sharpness and his fighters stance! Great viewpoint, contrast and colours.
Fantastic background to boot. Well done!
TFS
Simon

  •      
  • Proframe Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 561 W: 187 N: 1069] (4084)
  • [2007-06-24 17:12]

Wonderful shot of this beautiful big beetle Mircea.
Love th way he does stand up and seems to try to reach something.
Sharpness, exposure and clarity are great and the glow on his shield is wonderful.
Just would like to have seen a little more space on top of the image.
Thanks for sharing.
Warm regards, Harry

Hello Mircea.

Excellent image, very good details and colors.
Fantastic.

Regards.
Jose Luis.

Hello Mircea,
An excellent sharp macro! Great detail ( I can tell how the beetle is holding on!), great pov and what a stance!
Kind regards,
Bev :-)

buna
superba fotografie.
focalizare excelenta, pov grozav si niste culori extraordinare.
felicitari!
numai bine,
iulian

  • Great 
  • manyee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3067 W: 231 N: 6165] (21068)
  • [2007-06-25 2:12]

What a great pose of this stag beetle, Mircea.
It looks like it is rearing up like a stallion. : )
Fantastic pose and excellent details.
TFS this wonderful macro.

Hi Mircea,
Very nice macro. The insect also very interesting. Very well BG and POV. TFS. Mustafa

Bonjour,
Un magnifique scarabée bien coloré !
Bonne journée.
clnaef

foarte frumos masculul cum l-ai prins,
era sa fac si eu o poza la unul in zbor... dar l-am ratat,

TFS,
Lucian
(cand esti in Timis da un semn, eu is aici pana vineri sigur)

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3585 W: 143 N: 5672] (18539)
  • [2007-06-25 9:21]

Hi Mircea.
You have created a wonderful masterpiece. Amazing beetle, perfect technique of shooting, excellent scenery and composition of the shot. DOF, sharpness, details and colours of the main subject are outstanding too. Bravo and TFS.
Alexei.

terrific pose, colors and details.
Brilliant balance of light.
TFS
JM

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2912 W: 34 N: 8640] (32202)
  • [2007-06-25 13:43]

Hi Mircea. What a fine looking Beatle. he look so strong. you have captured the colours so well. fine detail. and sharp focus. anice POV and DOF.I like the way he is reaching upward. very well done .TFS . good notes to read as well.

Nick..

  • Great 
  • Luis52 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1110 W: 5 N: 3457] (12761)
  • [2007-06-25 17:22]

Hola Mircea. Exelente Macro. Muy nitida tu foto y con muy buen manejo del flash. Saludos Luis52.

  • Great 
  • puciu Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 519 W: 0 N: 16] (2603)
  • [2007-08-25 11:39]

Cześć. Piękny owad , dobrze zrobione zdjęcie. Ostrość, kolory Ok.
Pozdrawiam Robert.

Insecta copilariei mele. Asta si carabusul de Mai. Iubeam la nebunie sa le prind si sa le pun la insectar. Foarte faina postura, combatant si agresiv, precum reputatia.

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