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Der Hirschkafer, Hornschroter, Feuerschroter oder Donnergugi (Lucanus cervus) ist ein Kafer aus der Familie der Schroter (Lucanidae). Er gehort zu den gro?ten und auffalligsten Kafern in Europa. Seinen Namen erhielt der Hirschkafer aufgrund der geweihartig vergro?erten mannlichen Mandibeln. Der Name „Donnergugi“ geht auf den Beinamen Donar des Gottes Thor zuruck. Die Art war bereits im Romischen Reich bekannt: die Larven wurden als Delikatesse gegessen, die mannlichen Geweihe wurden als Amulett getragen.

Die Kafer werden 25 bis 75 Millimeter lang, wobei die Weibchen mit maximal 40 Millimetern Lange deutlich kleiner bleiben. Damit sind sie die gro?ten europaischen Kafer. Sie haben beide eine schwarzbraune Grundfarbung, die Deckflugel und die Mandibeln (Oberkiefer) der Mannchen sind braunrot gefarbt. Besonders auffallig an den Mannchen ist das „Geweih“, bei dem es sich um die massiv vergro?erten Mandibeln handelt. Sie konnen bei besonders gro?en Exemplaren fast die halbe Korperlange ausmachen. Die Weibchen haben einen schmaleren Kopf und normal entwickelte Oberkiefer. Sie tragen auf der Oberseite ihrer Vorderbeine charakteristische, gelb behaarte runde Flecken. Gelegentlich kann die forma capreolus beobachtet werden, bei der die Mannchen sehr klein sind und ebenso wie die Weibchen kein Geweih tragen.

Die Tiere kommen in Sud-, Mittel- und Westeuropa, nordlich bis in den Suden Schwedens vor. Lokal findet man sie auch in England, Kleinasien und ostlich bis nach Syrien. Sie leben bevorzugt in alten Eichenwaldern, konnen aber auch in Garten, Rindenmulchhaufen etc. vorkommen. Die Hauptflugzeit liegt zwischen Ende Mai und Ende Juli.

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Lucanus cervus is the best-known species of stag beetle (family Lucanidae), and is sometimes referred to simply as the stag beetle. It lives in holes in old trees and dead trunks, in the forest as well as in groves. Forest management, in eliminating old trees and deadwood, eliminates at the same time the habitat and food of this species. Once quite common, the population of the Lucanus cervus, along with that of other species of beetles which feed on wood, is in steep decline, and is now listed as a globally threatened/declining species.

Adults appear during late May to the beginning of August being most active in the evenings. Females lay their eggs in a piece of decaying wood. Stag Beetle larvae, which are blind and shaped like a letter "C", feed on rotting wood in a variety of places, tree stumps, old trees and shrubs, rotting fence posts, compost heaps and leaf mould. The larvae have a cream-coloured soft transparent body with six orange legs, and an orange head which is very distinct from the very sharp brown pincers. They have combs in their legs which they use for communication (stridulation) with other larvae. The larvae go through several developmental stages (instars), taking 4 to 6 years to become pupae. The work of entomologist Charlie Morgan during the late 1970s discovered that the pupae of the Stag Beetle live in the soil for about 3 months, then emerge in summer to awkwardly fly off to mate. Adults only live for a few months feeding on nectar and tree sap. Their slow, lumbering flight, usually at dusk, makes a distinctive low-pitched buzzing sound. The males fly more readily than the females. The modern Italian word for a toy kite cervo volante (and hence the French cerf-volant) may derive from the ancient amusement of flying the beetles on a length of thread.

The stag beetle is preyed upon by magpies, chickens, badgers, foxes, hedgehogs, cats, and woodpeckers.

The natural reaction of the beetle to an approaching large object is to remain motionless making them a good photographic subject. Sexually dimorphic, the males have enlarged mandibles and are larger than the females. Although the male's mandibles seem threatening, they are too weak to be harmful. Nevertheless, females can inflict a painful bite. It is the resemblance of the male's mandibles to the horns of a stag, and their use in combat between males, much like with deer, that gives the species its scientific and common names.

Created at NIH Medical Arts.

A very brief overview of four basic concepts that were presented to the client, the Pediatrics + Developmental Neuroscience Branch of the NIMH.

PDN's aim is to identify factors which influence the onset and expression of behavioral symptoms, and to develop more effective treatment and prevention strategies for childhood disorders. PDN conducts clinical research only.