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The Essex Naturalist
parallelipipedus, only records where the size of the larvae excluded this other
species, or where a competent observer had examined them, are included.
Table 2: tree species reported in association with confirmed breeding records of stag
beetles in north-east Essex in 1996
Betula sp. (Birch) larvae under a rotting log.
Buddleia sp. (Butterfly Bush) pupae under a rotten hush.
Fagus sylvatica (Beech) large colony in old logs.
Forsythia sp. (Forsythia) twenty+ larvae removed before the roots were
grubbed out.
Prunus domestica (Plum) larvae found in old stump 12-18 inches down.
Quercus (Oak) larvae in a stump; larvae under oak slabs
Salix sp. (Willow) three larvae in decaying stumps
Syringa sp. (Lilac) female seen burrowing under bush and several
emergence holes noted.
Ulmus sp. (Elm) six larvae found in a log.
There is some evidence that processed timber may be utilised - larvae have
been found on several occasions in the past in rotten fence posts (Colchester
Museums enquiries) and one observer suspected an old railway sleeper was being
used. These are usually made from pine (Pinus) and a larva was found in a pine
stump by K.G. Blair (Donisthorpe, 1941).
Three observers reported adults and larvae in compost heaps, this association
having been previously noted by Hyman & Parsons (1992).
Perhaps the most bizarre record is of larvae found feeding between the
laminated surfaces of a sheet of chipboard, used as a side for a compost bin and
shown to the author by R. Mead. The wood chip centre was damp and friable
and the larvae were able to tunnel through it, supported by the laminated sides.
Data from the Colchester survey suggests that L. cervus is more catholic in its
choice of larval pabulum than has previously supposed. It may be that factors
such as moisture content, degree of rotting and presence of specific microfungi
may be more important than the species of timber. The apparent ease with
which cut sections of Tilia (lime) logs placed in a shady part of a garden were
colonised by L. cervus in Surrey (Owen, 1992) points to a ready way of
increasing available breeding sites for the species. Indeed, one of Colchester's
largest colonies is based in cut logs of Fagus (beech) in a Lexden garden.
Adult feeding
Only two instances of adult beetles feeding were reported. One on peach skins
(Prunus persica) put out for birds and the other on a raisin (Vitis vinifera)
discarded on a patio. Sap runs and fruit are often cited as food in the literature
(Hyman 6k Parsons, 1992), and captive adults fed readily on peach stones (Prunus
persica) and apple cores (Malus domestica) (J. Bowdrey, personal observation).