Rainbow stag beetle of the stag beetle (Lucanidae) family is indigenous to several parts of Australia, particularly New Guinea and Queensland. These beetles generate a magnificent look mostly because of their rainbow-colored metallic appearance, especially on their wings and bellies. They are the only species of the Phalacrognathus genus with a close relation to the Lamprima genus.
Size: Males: 24 – 70 mm (0.94 – 2.76 inches); Females: 23 – 46 mm (0.91 – 1.81 inches)
Color: They mostly have a green, red, or blue body with a metallic shine, especially on their back. Becol3s this, their mandibles and legs are black.
Other Characteristic Features: Sexual dimorphism is visible when it comes to their physical features. The males have longer and more curved mandibles and antennae than their female counterparts.
The larval stage goes through three instars, and in the final phase, they have a white segmented body with an orange facial patch. They mostly inhabit rotting and wet wood, mainly close to the white-rot fungi, and take about three years to mature into adults.
They remain as a larva for a year, after which they enter their pupal phase, most of which takes place within the cells or chambers. When the pupa emerges into an adult, their wings remain soft and white at the beginning taking up to a week to attain their original color.
The females lay about 50 eggs in rotting wood that hatch in a week. Over the period, the egg becomes twice its original size, and the larva can be seen within it.
| Lifespan | 1 year |
| Duration of larval stage | About 3 years |
| Distribution | Parts of Australia, particularly the coastal regions of northeastern Queensland, as well as New Guinea |
| Habitat | Mostly in the rainforest regions |
| Common Predators | Cat, kestrel, crow, foxes |
| Seasons active from | Mostly during summer (march – July) |
| Host Plants | Not recorded |
| Diet of larvae and adults | Larvae: Decayed wood Adults: Decayed wood, alongcol3 sap, nectar, and fruit of their host plants |
Though they mostly feed on rotten wood and saps of trees, reports of their damage to the host plants remain unrecorded.
Image Source: i.pinimg.com, naturesface.com.au, jonathansjungleroadshow.co.uk, live.staticflickr.com, jonathansjungleroadshow.co.uk
Rainbow stag beetle of the stag beetle (Lucanidae) family is indigenous to several parts of Australia, particularly New Guinea and Queensland. These beetles generate a magnificent look mostly because of their rainbow-colored metallic appearance, especially on their wings and bellies. They are the only species of the Phalacrognathus genus with a close relation to the Lamprima genus.
Size: Males: 24 – 70 mm (0.94 – 2.76 inches); Females: 23 – 46 mm (0.91 – 1.81 inches)
Color: They mostly have a green, red, or blue body with a metallic shine, especially on their back. Becol3s this, their mandibles and legs are black.
Other Characteristic Features: Sexual dimorphism is visible when it comes to their physical features. The males have longer and more curved mandibles and antennae than their female counterparts.
The larval stage goes through three instars, and in the final phase, they have a white segmented body with an orange facial patch. They mostly inhabit rotting and wet wood, mainly close to the white-rot fungi, and take about three years to mature into adults.
They remain as a larva for a year, after which they enter their pupal phase, most of which takes place within the cells or chambers. When the pupa emerges into an adult, their wings remain soft and white at the beginning taking up to a week to attain their original color.
The females lay about 50 eggs in rotting wood that hatch in a week. Over the period, the egg becomes twice its original size, and the larva can be seen within it.
| Lifespan | 1 year |
| Duration of larval stage | About 3 years |
| Distribution | Parts of Australia, particularly the coastal regions of northeastern Queensland, as well as New Guinea |
| Habitat | Mostly in the rainforest regions |
| Common Predators | Cat, kestrel, crow, foxes |
| Seasons active from | Mostly during summer (march – July) |
| Host Plants | Not recorded |
| Diet of larvae and adults | Larvae: Decayed wood Adults: Decayed wood, alongcol3 sap, nectar, and fruit of their host plants |
Though they mostly feed on rotten wood and saps of trees, reports of their damage to the host plants remain unrecorded.
Image Source: i.pinimg.com, naturesface.com.au, jonathansjungleroadshow.co.uk, live.staticflickr.com, jonathansjungleroadshow.co.uk
