Stag Beetle Anatomy in 3D: Giant Jaws, Organs and Exoskeleton
The stag beetle is one of the biggest beetles in Europe, and the males carry giant jaws that look like a deer's antlers. In the 3D Bug Anatomy simulator you can turn it around, look inside and see its exoskeleton.
Explore in 3DThree ways to see the stag beetle
Whole bug
ExoskeletonStag Beetle quick facts
| Animal group | Insect, beetle family |
|---|---|
| Body length | Males up to about 7.5 cm, jaws included |
| Legs and wings | 6 legs, 2 hard wing covers and 2 flying wings |
| Young | Grubs live in rotting wood for several years |
| Adult life | A few weeks in summer |
The stag beetle exoskeleton
The stag beetle's exoskeleton is thick and shiny, with hard wing covers protecting the flying wings folded underneath. In males the jaws, called mandibles, are huge and branched like antlers.
Inside the stag beetle
In the Inside view you can tap these labels on the 3D model:
- Jaws
- The male’s giant jaws look like antlers. He uses them to wrestle other males, not to eat.
- Brain
- Controls the legs, the wings folded under the hard wing covers, and those big jaws.
- Gut
- Adult stag beetles hardly eat. They live mostly on fat stored when they were grubs, plus sips of tree sap.
- Heart
- An insect heart is a long tube along the back that pushes blood forward towards the head.
Interesting facts about the stag beetle
- The male's giant jaws look like antlers and are used to wrestle other males.
- Its grubs live inside rotting wood for several years before turning into adults.
- Adults only live for a few weeks in summer.
- Adult stag beetles hardly eat, living mostly on fat stored when they were grubs.
- Insects like the stag beetle have a long tube-shaped heart running along the back.
More bugs in 3D
Stag Beetle anatomy questions
What are stag beetle jaws for?
Males use their huge antler-like jaws to wrestle rival males, not to eat.
How long do stag beetles live?
Most of their life is spent as a grub in rotting wood for several years. The adults live only a few weeks.
How big do stag beetles get?
Males can reach about 7.5 cm long including their jaws.
What do stag beetles eat?
The grubs eat rotting wood. Adults barely eat at all, apart from sips of tree sap.
The 3D Bug Anatomy simulator is made by Julian Neagu, a solo founder in London, as part of VisionVix Simulators. It is free to use in the browser on desktop and phone, with no sign-up.