Lesser Stag Beetle vs Clara's Satin Moth

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute	Lesser Stag Beetle	Clara's Satin Moth
Scientific Name	Dorcus parallelipipedus	Thalaina clara
Order	Coleoptera	Lepidoptera
Family	Lucanidae	Geometridae
Size	19-32 mm	40-50 mm wingspan
Habitat	Woodlands	Woodlands
Diet	Wood Feeders	Herbivores
Regions	Western Europe, Central Europe, Southern Europe	Eastern Australia, Tasmania
Conservation	Least Concern	Least Concern

Lesser Stag Beetle

A robust, matt-black beetle found across European woodlands. Unlike its larger cousin, both sexes have similarly sized mandibles.

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Larvae take three to four years to develop inside rotting logs before pupating.

An Australian moth with satiny white wings marked with orange bands. Found in eastern Australia and Tasmania. Caterpillars feed on acacia foliage.

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The satiny sheen of the wings gives this moth an almost luminous quality when seen in Australian bush at night.