Tara with two species of Stag BeetleThe (Greater) Stag Beetle is a much bigger beast than the Lesser Stag BeetleEnormous Stag Beetle larvae found deep underground on roots of dead Pear tree. The body of the larva is soft and white except for the hard brown head and legs, and extremely hard sclerotised black mouthparts, adapted for chewing wood. The plump larvae are a tasty meal for foxes, which can easily sniff out and dig for them in soft earth or rotten wood, so their only protection is to be deep down in a large block of wood. This is part of the value of leaving standing dead wood in the nature reserve; and it explains why we bury logs with several feet of their length below ground!
The English seem unemotional … except for their passion for nature
