Australian Stag Beetles

bugman

December 22nd, 2008 at 1:42 pm

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Pair of Beetles in Northwestern Sydney, Australia
Sat, Dec 20, 2008 at 4:44 PM
Hey guys!
This is my second time writing in, only not for a few years. I was ratting around in a rotten wood pile in my backyard in Galston (which is northwestern outskirts of Sydney), and found this glorious pair of beetles. I’m assuming by the difference in mandible size that I have a female and male, but for the life of me I cannot find them anywhere on any site. Have you got any clues for me?
Ps: In my last letter, I mentioned getting a bug themed sleeve- well it’s 90% done and I even got the botany bay weevil included in there
Ash
Sydney, Australia

Stag Beetle

Hi Ash,
We need to do some research on the identity of your interesting beetles, but we need to rush out of the house right now. We will post the images and research later, but we are also hoping one of our readers can provide a proper identification as well.

Stag Beetle

Update December 24, 2008
Hi, Daniel:
The “unknown Australian beetles” are stag beetles, family Lucanidae. I’ll see if I can’t find out more…..Do I rock or what?! LOL! I found the species of those “unidentified Australian beetles.” They are stag beetles, family Lucanidae, specifically Rhyssonotus nebulosus. Great name for a really cool insect.
Take care, best to Lisa, too.
Eric Eaton

December 29, 2008
That’s fantastic! I feel really proud of myself as a budding entomologist that I was able to guess (by body structure) that they were some sort of stag beetle. Thanks heaps.

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Comments 1

choliapeach wrote:
Wow! I found exactly the same beetle when I was in Tathra. I have a photo of it somewhere… I had quite a few mites so I brushed them off with a paintbrush. Is there somewhere I can share the photo?
Posted 23 Nov 2009 at 1:11 am ¶

Trackbacks & Pingbacks 1

From Stag Beetle from Australia: Rhyssonotus nebulosus | What's That Bug? on 07 Feb 2010 at 3:43 am ¶
[...] Stag Beetles February 6, 2010 Dear Mr. Bugman, (Currently) On page seven of WTB Downunder, there are some Australian Stag Beetles. Here is another photo of the same beetle-male? It was [...]

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