Dynastes TItyus hunter Posted February 4, 2021 Report Share Posted February 4, 2021 Do you guys know good places to catch Lucanus elaphus larvae in Virginia, or just Lucanus elaphus larvae itself like where you catch larvae. In hard wood? In soft wood? In parks? In yards? I want to know those stuff. I'm going to go hunting this week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevink Posted February 5, 2021 Report Share Posted February 5, 2021 you need virgin woodland, or something close to it in description. No adults this time of year. Rotted wood would be the place to look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dynastes TItyus hunter Posted March 14, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2021 I got lucky and found a chunky stag larvae in a rotten log near a mushroom farm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beetle-Experience Posted March 14, 2021 Report Share Posted March 14, 2021 Have you tried i-Nat? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beetle-Experience Posted March 14, 2021 Report Share Posted March 14, 2021 https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/84834-Lucanus-elaphus/browse_photos?place_id=7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pickle01 Posted March 14, 2021 Report Share Posted March 14, 2021 Hardwood or mixed forest, doesn't have to be a giant undisturbed area. I find larvae all over my neighborhood's wooded trail. You're looking for soft hardwood, but not falling apart. It also doesn't need to be a log because the females don't really seem to tunnel inside to lay eggs, as long as the limb or log is at least a few inches diameter. This time of year I'm finding L1s by rolling over the wood. They're in little soil cavities directly under the wood, or sometimes barely dug into the wood on the bottom surface. Later in the Spring and Summer the larvae will get more active with their chewing so you'll usually see very fine sawdust under the rotting wood. Their tunnels will be close to the surface so they're pretty easy to dig out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dynastes TItyus hunter Posted March 14, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2021 Yes, I saw some sawdust and I dug more and found Lucanus Elaphus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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