Japanese Rhinoceros Beetle (Blue) vs Scarce Stag Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Japanese Rhinoceros Beetle (Blue) Scarce Stag Beetle
Scientific Name Trypoxylus dichotomus septentrionalis Platycerus caraboides
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Dynastidae Lucanidae
Size 35-70 mm 9-13mm
Habitat Grasslands Woodlands
Diet Sap Feeders Wood Feeders
Regions East Asia, Japan (Hokkaido) Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Japanese Rhinoceros Beetle (Blue)

The northern Japanese subspecies of the rhinoceros beetle, found in Hokkaido. Slightly smaller and darker than mainland populations, adapted to cooler climates with a shorter active season.

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Did You Know?

Hokkaido rhinoceros beetles emerge later in summer than their southern relatives and have a compressed breeding season due to the shorter northern summer.

Scarce Stag Beetle

A small metallic blue-black stag beetle with modest mandibles. It develops in red-rotten beech wood.

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Did You Know?

Despite being called scarce it is actually fairly common but overlooked due to its small size and dark coloring.