Stag beetles are among Europe's most impressive invertebrates, declining across their range due to loss of the deadwood habitat their larvae depend on for development.
Stag beetle larvae removed from rotting wood during garden clearance or tree felling die from exposure and desiccation — the years of larval development are abruptly ended by a management decision made without knowledge of their presence. The loss of deadwood habitats eliminates breeding populations at the local level. Protecting and creating deadwood habitat — leaving tree stumps, creating log piles — is the most impactful individual welfare action available for stag beetles.