With their scary teeth and big size, stag beetles can be scary if they show up outside your house out of the blue. There are, however, ways to get rid of these bugs that don’t hurt them or the environment. This complete guide will explain why stag beetles might come onto your property, how to spot them, and effective do-it-yourself and professional ways to keep them away.
Understanding Stag Beetles
Stag beetles belong to the family Lucanidae, with around 1,200 species worldwide. The most common species in the UK and North America are the European stag beetle (Lucanus cervus) and the smooth stag beetle (Lucanus placidus). Only the male stag beetle has the iconic antler-like mandibles used for wrestling other males.
Stag beetle larvae live underground and eat dead wood until they hatch into adults. They don’t hurt trees or shrubs that are still alive. Adults only live a few weeks and rely on fat stores from when they were larvae. In many places, they are a protected species.
Why Stag Beetles Invade Homes
Stag beetles rarely intend to enter our homes Reasons they end up indoors include
- Attraction to lights – Outdoor lighting confuses their navigation at night.
- Seeking shelter – On hot days, they may enter sheds or homes looking for cooler, damp places.
- Breeding activity – Males fly in search of females and may blunder inside.
- Rotting wood habitat – Trees, stumps, and wood structures around your home can provide breeding sites.
Non-Lethal Ways to Deter Stag Beetles
Here are some humane tactics for keeping stag beetles away
- Leave them be – If they are not causing harm, let them continue their fascinating life cycle undisturbed.
- Reduce lighting – Minimize outdoor lights at night during summer breeding months.
- Seal entry points – Use caulk, weatherstripping, door sweeps, and chimney screens to exclude them.
- Collect and relocate – Carefully capture individuals and release them in suitable habitat far from your home.
- Create habitat elsewhere – Build a log pile away from your home to divert larvae. Avoid disturbing existing breeding sites.
- Use repellents – Strong scents from cloves, mint, citrus, or camphor may deter entry.
Diatomaceous earth sprinkled around foundations is another non-toxic repellent option. Sticky traps can also be used without harming the beetles.
When to Call a Pest Professional
You may need professional help if:
- Large numbers are invading nightly.
- Evidence of structural damage from larvae is found.
- Preventative measures fail to exclude them.
- An on-site breeding habitat like a wood pile can’t be relocated.
Opt for services focused on gentle capture and removal methods. Avoid those proposing harmful or lethal control approaches.
Preventing Future Stag Beetle Issues
Here are some tips for discouraging stag beetles long-term:
- Install yellow “bug lights” that attract fewer insects.
- Eliminate moisture sources like leaks, standing water, and high humidity.
- Keep firewood and lumber stacked neatly off the ground, away from your foundation.
- Seal any exterior gaps, cracks, and holes, using expanding foam as needed.
- Replace wood mulch with less appealing options like pebbles or rubber around foundations.
- Clean gutters and slope flat roofs to prevent water pooling.
- Remove fallen logs, stumps, and dead trees from your property whenever possible.
Appreciating Stag Beetles
Stag beetles are helpful bugs that both kids and adults find interesting. We can live peacefully with these gentle giants in our gardens if we use some simple techniques to keep them out. With a little extra care, we can keep stag beetles away without hurting them or messing up their important ecological roles.
I’ve found larvae in my compost heap what should I do?
Many times, rose chafer larvae will be found in compost piles because stag beetles live underground in dead wood. You can leave the larvae where they are as they are beneficial composters.
How can you tell the difference between male and female stag beetles?
Males have big antlers, which are actually their mandibles. They can be the same size as their bodies or even bigger, while females are smaller and have smaller mandibles. For more information please see our stag beetle fact file.
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FAQ
How to repel stag beetles?
Stag Beetle Prevention Adults are usually attracted by dead or decaying wood, where they like to lay their eggs, or by tree and plant sap. Homeowners can remove decomposing wood, including old tree stumps and roots, to reduce nesting sites and food sources.
Why do I have stag beetles?
Adult stag beetles feed on tree sap and the sticky secretions of aphids. They’re found around oak trees, rotting stumps and logs, often hiding under leaf clutter.
How do you stop a beetle infestation?
Use peppermint or neem oil, insect traps, pyrethrin, lavender, or diatomaceous earth, among other things, to get rid of beetles in your home. Apr 22, 2025.
What are stag beetles enemies?
Predators: Bats, birds, and insect-eating mammals. Habitat: Woodland (especially oak woods), parks and gardens. Range: Southern and central Europe. In Britain, they are found in south and south-eastern areas, including London parks!.
How can I get rid of staghorn beetles?
To get rid of staghorn beetles, it’s best to take action before the infestation becomes severe and plants are damaged. Use nontoxic methods to kill and repel beetles, as chemical insecticides can harm sensitive plants and the environment. Remove any decaying wood from the property, as it attracts staghorn beetles, which feed on wood.
How do I remove a bee stinger?
Using a piece of gauze, your fingernail, or another instrument, you may scrape across the stinger to dislodge it from your skin. It is also possible to remove the stinger using tweezers or your fingernail. Acting soon is crucial.
What is a stag beetle?
We believe your Stag Beetle is Dorcus parallelus, commonly called an Antelope Beetle according to BugGuide where it states: “Larvae feed in decaying stumps and roots of oak, linden, and maple. We think this is a male Stag Beetle because it doesn’t show as much sexual dimorphism as some other species do.
Do stag beetles bite?
Since most beetles are known for their large mandibles, they can bite. But surprisingly, not every beetle has strong enough chewing muscles to bite and harm humans. Apart from stag beetles, only a handful of other adult beetles can strongly bite.
What do stag beetles eat?
All stag beetle larvae feed in dead or decaying wood, such as logs and stumps. Most adults emerge in May or June and feed on sap that exudes from plants. Stag beetles are active at night and are often attracted to lights. They can fly into a yard, land on the ground and remain there until the following morning.
Are stag beetles poisonous?
Stag beetle bites are painful and will cause problems like bleeding, swelling, redness, and irritation. But thankfully, the bites are not poisonous and won’t cause any fatal health issues. Moreover, these bites heal themselves in a few hours or a day.