Stag Beetle

This was by the back door last night, our cat wasn't too sure about it! After I took the photo the insect flew off and up, stayed flying around for about an hour.

What a good photo Shirley ,it shows him off very well ,Puss didn't like the look of those pincers !

Amy, two days ago OH thought he saw something fly up into the vine but not fly out. Makes me wonder if it was this Stag Beetle. It was fascinating to watch it flying vertically, almost looked remote controlled!

Nature is wonderful isn't it we need more time to stand and stare don't we :o)

I have seen two male stag beetles in our garden over the last 30 odd years, their life cycle is very extended.

They are handsome, but they really give me the creeps with those pincers!

man i am glad i do not have them here in ny you can keep them!!!!

Fantastic sight when they fly!

Impressive!

I have never seen one fly.......not sure I would want to be near them, depends on their sense of direction!!

Lol, just after I took the photo it was up and airborne! It almost looked remote controlled as it flew vertically and around, really weird. Well, weird enough for me to go back indoors!

I would have been in like a shot as soon as it moved lol

Oh wow - how lucky are you?!
Thanks for sharing, I haven't seen one since I was a kid in SE London.

Right Muddy, if you haven't already, make a log-pile in an out-of-the-way part of your garden, sit back and in about 5 years you may see one! London and the South East of UK have the highest Stag Beetle population right now.

Our log-pile hasn't been moved or tidied up in about 14 years, just added to, and apparently Stag Beetles take 5 years to mature from grub to beetle, then when you see them flying they are looking for a mate, shortly after which they die. Not much of a life eh? :o)

Unfortunately we don't get them in the North West :(

That's a shame :o(