What if I told you that one insect, just one could get you something in the region of seventy (70) million naira? This 5 cm (2 inch) insect is considered one of the most expensive animals due to its different and strange species. Its main identity is the horns that come out of its blackhead. Its average size is between 2 and 4.8 inches. A few years ago, a Japanese breeder sold his Stag Beetle for $89,000.
The stag beetle has a shiny black head and thorax, while his wing case is chestnut brown. There is also a difference between male and female species. Male beetles have huge anglers. Some would say they are over-sized mandibles, which are used for courtship display and for wrestling with other male beetles.
During the summer, male beetles fly at dusk looking for a mate. They grow between 35mm and 75mm in length. On the other side, female beetles grow between 30 and 50mm in length, and they have smaller mandibles. Female insects stay on the ground, looking for a place to lay their eggs.
According to the National History Museum, adult stag beetles don't eat, but they do drink sweet fluids such as tree sap and the liquid from decomposing fruit. They mostly rely on the energy stores they built up as a larva. Stag beetle larvae feed on dead wood, using their sharp jaws to scrape the fibrous surface for splinters. Wood infected with white rot is a particular favourite as it helps to decompose the wood. The larvae also digest any fungi and other organisms in the wood.
Some people often mistake the stag beetle with the lesser stag beetle, but the latter has black all over with matt wing cases. On the other hand, as mentioned, the stag beetle has brown wing cases. Another difference between male and female stag beetles is the mouth. Females have smaller mouthparts, but they are stronger than males.
Stag beetles are harmless but the jaws of males are enough to give you a bit of a pinch if you encourage them. The females' jaws are a bit stronger and capable of biting, but they aren't aggressive.
One of the reasons why stag beetles are so expensive, although you cannot buy them, is their rarity. They are classed as a protected species. Loss of woodland habitat, and removing rotting wood from the garden means less and less natural habitat for them.
In conclusion, stop squashing every insect you see, they might be worth more than you could have ever imagined. But, keep looking around you might be lucky to find one of these someday.
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