Wasp Nest Beetle vs Saw Stag Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Wasp Nest Beetle Saw Stag Beetle
Scientific Name Metoecus paradoxus Prosopocoilus inclinatus
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Ripiphoridae Lucanidae
Size 8-12mm 25-75 mm
Habitat Woodlands Woodlands
Diet Parasitoids Sap Feeders
Regions Europe Japan, Korea
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Wasp Nest Beetle

A bizarre wedge-shaped beetle that develops as a parasitoid inside social wasp nests. Males have feathery antennae.

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Did You Know?

One of the most unusual beetles in Europe, spending its entire larval development inside live wasp nests.

Saw Stag Beetle

A common Japanese stag beetle with serrated inner mandible edges. They are frequently encountered at sap flows on oak trees.

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Did You Know?

Their saw-toothed mandibles give them a superior grip when wrestling other beetles off tree trunks.