Archive for Harrow in LEAF Harrow in LEAF discussion forum. An umbrella organisation for horticultural societies & associations in Harrow.
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Smita
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Slug Eating BeetlesThey showed this huge beetle on Spring Watch on BBC2 last night. It was black with big red horns, almost the same length as its body. It was munching its way through a big slug.
Does anyone know what this beetle is called? And can any one tell me how I can encourage these beetles in to my garden.
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Mr. Mean
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I think these would be Stag Beetles - their mouthparts look like the antlers on a stag's head, but despite looking a bit fearsome they do not bite! They live in Broad-leaved woodlands, especially oak, but also parks and gardens where there are hedges, tree stumps and logs. Their larva eat rotting wood and roots and the adults eat tree sap so ideally if you kept a pile of old tree branches/stumps somewhere in a quiet part of the garden this would encourage them in, but don’t expect to see them… the larva live for about 3 years and the adults only live between May and August… just at the right time to eat all those slugs!
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