Habitat Action Plans

DARWIN SAID:
”One day on tearing off some old bark, I saw two rare beetles and seized one in each hand; and then I saw a third, a new kind, which I could not bear to lose, so that I popped the one which I held in my right hand into my mouth…” Charles Darwin

VISION:
Bromley is a hotspot for Britain's largest beetle; we want everyone to welcome this remarkable resident.

Action for Species

Stag Beetle

Stag beetles can be found in broad-leaved woodland, parks and in many gardens in the Borough. The larvae live in the decaying wood of trees, often in roots and stumps, and even in rotting timber fence posts. They take at least three and a half years to become fully grown beetles. A large male can be up to 70mm in length and their most conspicuous feature is the large jaws, which resemble the antlers of a stag deer. Their size makes them easily recognisable and people unnecessarily wary; stag beetles are harmless, attacking neither people nor boring into furniture. The adults feed on tree sap and fruit and are most often seen flying during summer evenings while they are searching for a mate. The flight is often clumsy, crashing into windows and sometimes coming indoors.

The BBAP aims to:

• Survey to assess and monitor populations;

• Protect existing populations through good habitat management.

• Encourage appreciation and respect for the beetle.

Action being taken by 2009 includes:

• Raise awareness and fascination in this beetle and its requirements.

• Increase opportunity for stag beetles by providing rotting wood in gardens, parks and farmland.

To read a full copy of the Stag Beetle Species Action Plan, click here.

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