pincher beetle - Lucanus elaphus

pincher beetle/stag beetle

We get these in MA every summer. Usually July/August and only night time. Right outside Boston area. Pretty creepy having one fly into you and "land" in your lap!

… Survivor1, 9 April, 2013 - 9:38pm

Are you sure it's this species and not

THIS one?

… Jim McClarin, 9 April, 2013 - 10:10pm

Beetle with pinchers

My wife found one of these latched onto our dogs nose this morning. The dog is a Maltese less then a year old. She grabbed the beetle and had to pull it off the dog which resulted in bleeding. The dog was nibbling on a tree branch that was hanging through our railing on the front porch, I guess the critter was on the same branch. We live in Southeastern Pa, close to Delaware and Maryland. What can you tell me bout this thing? I have never seen anything like it. I will try to attach a picture...

… dtmckm1, 5 July, 2011 - 12:59pm

We found one of these attache

We found one of these attached to our dogs nose as well this morning. Which is a maltese/yorkie mix. We used scissors and cut the bug in order for it to release. The more we pulled the tighter that critter held on. Scary looking thing. We live in Northern Indiana and don't see things like this normally.

… Amy, 20 July, 2014 - 9:27am

I've never seen one before.

I've never seen one before. It's really quite interesting, and our cats have been fascinated with it -- through the glass jar, of course!!

… Dianne Holecek, 15 July, 2009 - 6:44am

Try feeding it some fresh fuit,

a very ripe banana or a piece of watermelon or ripe (soft) peach. They don't eat much as adults but will lap up sugary fluids.

… Jim McClarin, 15 July, 2009 - 6:49am

My 5-year old daughter found

My 5-year old daughter found one this morning in our driveway. We collected it in a glass jar (vented) to get a better look at it. Are these rare?

… Dianne Holecek, 14 July, 2009 - 1:49pm

See answer below to

"Are they hard to come across??"

… Jim McClarin, 14 July, 2009 - 10:19pm

Giant Stag beetle

You are one lucky guy to find those two big guys!

… margarethe brummermann, 3 July, 2008 - 12:21am

Are they hard to come across??

… Stacy Bosarge, 3 July, 2008 - 12:30am

You have to live in the right region.

I don't have them in New Hampshire and Margarethe has none in Arizona. On top of that, they must not be encountered very frequently or we would have a lot more images of them submitted to bugguide like some other Lucanus species.

… Jim McClarin, 3 July, 2008 - 8:00am

My kids somehow found one of

My kids somehow found one of these in our apartment, sitting on our couch! Just glad no one sat on it, ouch! Just wanted to say that we're in NH, so I guess there are pincer beetles in NH, after all...

… applause33496, 25 June, 2011 - 2:26pm

Well, I just checked the UNH Web site

(http://colsa1.unh.edu:591/FMPro?-DB=coleoptera.fp3&-lay=unhweblayout&-Format=unhsearch-frame-col.htm&-FindAny) and it's not listed under family Lucanidae. That means your find, if it's the same species, would be a record for the state.

Here you can see the distribution of Bug Guide submissions for this species, with Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, and Virginia being the northernmost states. New Hampshire would be a huge leap.

If by chance you still have the specimen, please photograph it alongside a ruler or a coin and submit it. If the photo shows much detail at all we can tell if it is the same species.

… Jim McClarin, 26 June, 2011 - 4:27am

wow

Thats pretty cool

… Stacy Bosarge, 3 July, 2008 - 12:36pm

i found this one

is it the same?

it was about 8 cm long

… hushtalk, 24 May, 2009 - 5:27am