Description
An incubator can be set up specifically for the stag beetle. They have difficulty finding breeding grounds that last long enough. They lay their eggs in underground rotting wood, after which the larvae need 3 to 4 years to reach the adult stage. In practice, suitable rotting wood has often been cleared away in many places by then.
The incubator is constructed from trunks of oak, elm, beech or fruit trees with a diameter greater than 5 cm. Other deciduous tree species are also suitable but should not decompose too quickly. When choosing wood, it is important to combine different tree species that have different lengths and degradation stages. This gives different generations the opportunity to develop.
It does not make much sense for the stag beetle to build breeding grounds in locations where the species no longer occurs. The species is so resident that it will not often take over new territories. It is of course always worth considering creating an incubator with a view to other beetles that could benefit from it.
