Stag Beetle vs Ozark Stiletto Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Stag Beetle Ozark Stiletto Fly
Scientific Name Lucanus cervus Thereva frontalis
Order Coleoptera Diptera
Family Lucanidae Therevidae
Size 25-75 mm (males with mandibles) 8-11 mm
Habitat Woodlands Woodlands
Diet Wood Feeders Predators
Regions Europe 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.

💡

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.

Ozark Stiletto Fly

A medium-sized stiletto fly with a grayish body covered in fine pale hairs and clear wings. It is commonly found resting on sunlit surfaces in open woodlands.

💡

Did You Know?

The larvae have a unique ability to move rapidly through loose sand using undulating body movements.