The beetle (lat. Lucanus cervus) is an amazing representative of the Rogachi family, which is considered the largest beetle in Europe.
Appearance
The most dimensional novel beetles reach more than 10 centimeters in length, while the size of an ordinary olive beetle fluctuates around 7.5 centimeters. There is a flat head, a thoracic region and a brown abdomen on the body. On the head of the olive beetle are located segments of the mouth and two facet eyes. Between the side two eyes are 3 more simple eyes. A distinctive feature of this species is a couple of appendages located at the top of the head.
The remaining appendages form the oral apparatus, which consists of two pairs of upper and lower jaws and lips. Threeend processes are the most important advantage of males of this species. These horns that are endowed with spikes are the most important weapon and pride of the olive beetle. Thanks to them, he received the prefix “deer”, and in another way this species is also called “horn”. The horns have a beautiful red tint, which stands out slightly against the background of the brown body. In another way, these cornea processes call “mandibules”.
Sexual dimorphism of these representatives is mainly in the absence of these characteristic horns in females.
Habitat
You can meet this representative in various forest spaces and oaks of Europe, North Africa, Kazakhstan, Iran and Asia. Favorite tree of a olive beetle-oak, but quite often found on the poplar, lip and pine. Some representatives of the species live in floodplains of rivers, artificial parks and gardens, in the plain and mountainous areas.
Food
Despite his rather formidable appearance, this representative is an absolutely grassy insect. The main diet of the olive beetle consists of juices of various trees and other vegetation. Favorite dessert of this species sugar syrup. Beetle-beetles gather in small herds near the tree, from which the juice flows, and drink it with their lower lip. The period of the meal can last several hours.
Reproduction
The propagation period is characterized by characteristic duels among the horn. Powerful mandibules serve in order to arrange knightly tournaments when two males must tear their opponent from the bark and throw it through themselves. The winning male receives the rights to the female. Reproduction is sexually carried out, and the middle cycle of development of the larva is 4-6 months.
The female lays up to 20 oval yellowish eggs in a specially highlighted space, consisting of their dry branches of trees. Incubation lasts from 3 to 4 weeks, after which the horny larva appears on the surface. At that stage, they have a fairly massive head and legs that make a chirping. Larvae of the dead bark of wood feed on the larvae. At the end of the stage, the larva reaches sizes from 10 centimeters in length. In the way of larvae, these representatives can be up to 6 years, after which they switch to the next phase of development. The stage of transformation into a doll develops at a depth of up to 40 centimeters. For most individuals, this stage begins in the fall, and ends with the onset of spring. Dolls of no more than 4 centimeters. After this stage, the final phase of the Imago occurs, which is characterized by an already fully formed insect.
The peculiarity of olive beetles
Most beetles are extremely inactive, however, for quick movement in the space, beetles can fly, overcoming a distance of up to 3 kilometers in one flight. Rogachi flew mainly into calm calm weather with a temperature of at least 16 degrees. Due to their rather large sizes, the naiven beetles experience difficulties, flying up from a flat surface, so quite often they rise to branches and push them away from them.
Protected status
The beetle is an endangered look and is listed in the red book of insects. The population on the north side of Europe has significantly decreased. But in the central and southern parts the number is high, but a small tendency towards reduction is traced. As a rule, the reduction of the population is caused by human intervention in the forestry: deforestation, uncontrolled trapping insects.
