Stag beetle  (Lucanus cervus)

The stag beetle is nothing like as common as it used to be, but is still widespread in southern England, especially the Thames valley, north Essex, south Hampshire and West Sussex. It also occurs fairly frequently in the Severn valley and coastal areas of the south-west. Elsewhere in Britain it is extremely rare or even extinct. This beetle is found throughout Europe, and East Asia as far as Japan, although it is rare or declining in some countries.

Stag beetles are found in gardens, wooded parks and pasture woodland; anywhere where there is a good supply of dead wood.