Common Stag Beetle

Deciduous forests, woodlands, and nearby residential areas with rotting logs or stumps.

Adults feed on tree sap and rotting fruit; larvae (grubs) eat decaying wood from deciduous trees.

They are primarily nocturnal and are attracted to artificial lights. Males use their mandibles to fight over mates; females lay eggs in or near decaying wood.

Beneficial to the ecosystem as decomposers that recycle nutrients from dead wood back into the soil. They are harmless to humans, though they can give a small pinch if mishandled.