STAG BEETLE (LUCANUS CERVUS)
LOCAL BIODIVERSITY ACTION PLAN

OBJECTIVES

To establish presence in former occupied sites and ensure site safeguarding.

LOCAL TARGETS

Targets awaited

CURRENT STATUS

The stag beetle is Britain's largest and most distinctive insect. The distribution of the stag beetle has been declining nationally during the past 50 years. Historical records suggest that the beetle was probably never common the Cheshire region and may now be extinct.

In the Cheshire region, as recording of Coleoptera is primarily carried out on a site specific basis, there has been no systematic survey carried out for this species.

The stag beetle is listed by the U.K. Steering Group as a Globally Threatened/Declining species and is protected under Annex IIa of the EU habitats Directive and Appendix III of the Berne Convention. From April 1998 the stag beetle also became protected under Schedule 5 of the U.K.'s Wildlife Countryside Act 1981.

THREATS

Changes in climate.
Loss of habitat through removal of fallen timber, tree stumps and other dead wood.
Direct human impact through being killed on roads and mortality due to being trodden either accidentally or deliberately.

CURRENT ACTION

Existing records are held by the People's Trust for Endangered Species. These have been collated to produce distribution maps, which will be used to target sites for future survey.
Incorporating the maintenance of dead wood, where possible, into practical woodland management and landscaping schemes.

ACTION REQUIRED IN 2006+

Form a Local BAP Action Group for the stag beetle.
Contribute to the National BAP for the stag beetle.
Input into national and local databases.
Protect all trees know or suspected to be used for breeding.
Identify any gaps in age structure of tree populations, thereby ensuring a continuity of dead wood habitat by natural regeneration or new planting
Raise awareness of the ecological implications of collecting specimens.
Raise public awareness and work towards changing the public's perception of this species and beetles in general.

ACTION COMPLETED PREVIOUSLY

The 1998 National stag beetle survey produced several unconfirmed sighting of the species in the Cheshire region.

ACTUAL LBAP IMPLEMENTERS

None

OTHER POTENTIAL IMPLEMENTERS

Cheshire Wildlife Trust	Landowners and managers	rECOrd
English Nature	Local groups and individuals	Universities
Forest Enterprise	Museums
Lancashire and Cheshire Entomological Society	People's Trust for Endangered Species

CONTACT

Cheshire Wildlife Trust
Phone: 01270 610180
Fax: 01270 610430

REFERENCES

HMSO (1995): Biodiversity: The UK Steering Group Report, Volume 2:Action Plans, London.
Napier, D. (1998): Saving the Stag Beetle (Draft), People's Trust for Endangered Species.
Shirt, D.B. (Ed.) (1987): British Red Data Books: 2 Insects. Nature Conservancy Council.

Date compiled - 1998
Date reviewed - 1999