Upton-upon-Severn has become a hotspot for the spectacular and rare stag beetle

The stag beetle, with its spectacular mandibles resembling the antlers of a stag, also happens to be the largest land beetle and second largest beetle in the UK. The males, with the antler-like jaw, can measure up to three inches long.

It is commonly found in the south eastern parts of England and, while Worcestershire is on the edge of its range, there is a well-documented stag beetle hotspot in Upton-upon-Severn.

Steve Bloomfield, conservation officer for the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust, said: “Stag beetles are rare here. Worcestershire is on the western and northern edge of the region for them.

“They are really only known in Upton-upon-Severn. There are historical records from Worcester City and even tantalising records from as far north as Redditch but they are not confirmed.

“We think they have landed in Upton is because of the climate in that area. May be it is a bit warmer than other areas.”

He said they might also be present in the small Worcestershire river-side town because there is suitable habitat. “They need places where big bits of dead tree are available. These are normally isolated big trees. In Upton they are using a few very large isolated dead trees and maybe dead elms,” said Steve.

“These big trees were in the hedgerows. There might still be rotting trees in the ground. Large trees used to be in every hedgerow in Worcestershire and the ghost of elm trees persist for a very long time. They take a long time to rot down.”

The stag beetle spends most of its life underground as a larva – it can live for three to seven years in total depending on the weather – periods of very cold weather can extend the process.

Once fully grown the larva leaves the rotting wood on which has been feeding and it eventually becomes an adult. Adults spend the winter underground in the soil and usually emerge from mid-May onwards to find a mate and reproduce. By the end of August, most of the adults have died. They do not survive the winter.

Steve said people living in or visiting Upton-upon-Severn are most likely to see stag beetles during May and June. “Most of the ones people see in Upton are on the pavements and on walls. At dusk they all lift off and away they go.

“They are quite big and to some people they are quite scary. They are harmless. Do not kill them. Give them help. They are relatively lumbering things and they do get hit by cars.”

He said they play a very important role in nature by chewing up dead wood. “It is a recycler of nutrients. It has a very important role in nature. They do not go into treated or healthy timber.”

He added that two surveys were conducted in 2001 and again in 2014 and showed that the population of stag beetles in Upton seems to be doing well. “We would ask that if anyone sees one, get a picture and send it to the Worcestershire Biological Records Centre (WBRC) which holds all the records of the species.”

Pictures are very important because people sometimes mistake other beetles for stag beetles. The females, without the over-sized mandibles, are sometimes mistaken for the lesser stag beetle.

The WBRC is based at Lower Smite Farm, Hindlip, Worcestershire, WR3 8SZ. People can email information to records@wbrc.org.uk or call the manager Simon Wood on 01905 759759.

For records to the entered on the database, the centre needs four basic pieces of information

• Who recorded it - the full name and contact details of the recorder

• What species was observed - the common or scientific name

• Where the species was seen - this should include a location name and either a six-figure grid reference or postcode.

• When the species was seen - an exact date is preferred

Apart from recording sightings, Worcestershire residents can also help by providing suitable habitat and a food source in their gardens.

Steve said: “We are right on the edge of its range. Let’s see what we can do to help them. The deadwood resources must be declining so what happens now and in the future?

“Bury a big bit of timer if you have some. If you have logs 18in wide and two or three feet long sink them vertically in the ground and make sure the end is just above the surface because the adults need something to clamber up. They need to get warm and they need a vertical surface.”

The People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) is currently urging Worcestershire residents to help reverse the decline in the stag beetle.

Apart from providing a habitat in the form of logs or leaving old tree stumps in the garden, they ask people to be careful when mowing the lawn and discourage predators like magpies, while keeping pets indoors during warm evenings when stag beetles are flying.

It also recommends making sure any open water has an exit point and if someone sees a dead-looking beetle in water, take it out because they often revive.

The trust is also asking people to report their sightings of stag beetles as part of its ongoing Great Stag Hunt. Visit www.ptes.org/gsh to tell PTES about sightings, which will help PTES’ wider conservation strategy. Last year saw more than 6,000 submitted records, the highest number on record since the survey began in 1998.

Laura Bower, conservation officer at PTES, explains: “Sadly stag beetles are declining across Europe and they’re now extinct in some countries. In the southern parts of the UK they are doing much better but they still need our help.

“Gardens are very important habitats, as stag beetle larvae rely on decaying wood in contact with soil to feed on. Gardeners can help by retaining dead tree stumps. We hope to combat any further decline by asking the public to make their gardens more suitable for stag beetles.”

Additionally, PTES is co-funding the new European Stag Beetle Monitoring Network. Volunteers are needed to carry out a simple survey and participants can choose their own 500m transect. They just need to walk it six times during June and July and record any stag beetles seen. To find out more and to take part, please visit www.stagbeetlemonitoring.org.

For more advice on how to make your garden stag beetle friendly, to identify a stag beetle, to find out what to do if you find a stag beetle or dig up stag beetle larvae, visit www.ptes.org/stagbeetles.

• The stag beetle is legally protected from sale in the UK and it is also classed as a protected species, listed on Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.