Stag Beetle vs Golden-backed Snipe Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Stag Beetle Golden-backed Snipe Fly
Scientific Name Lucanus cervus Chrysopilus thoracicus
Order Coleoptera Diptera
Family Lucanidae Rhagionidae
Size 25-75 mm (males with mandibles) 8-12 mm
Habitat Woodlands Woodlands
Diet Wood Feeders Herbivores
Regions Europe Eastern North America
Conservation Near Threatened Least Concern

Stag Beetle

Europes largest beetle. Males have dramatically enlarged mandibles resembling antlers, used in wrestling contests for females. Larvae develop in rotting wood for 3-7 years.

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Did You Know?

Male stag beetles spend up to seven years as larvae feeding on decaying wood underground before emerging for just a few weeks as adults to find a mate.

Golden-backed Snipe Fly

A striking fly with golden thoracic hairs and dark wings that rests head-down on foliage. Larvae are predators in soil and leaf litter.

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Did You Know?

It characteristically rests on vegetation with its head pointed downward, ready to pounce on passing prey.