Kites are the largest beetles in Europe: despite their threatening appearance, they are harmless to humans and very useful for the environment
He is about to end up run over, his mother saves himMany people take it for granted that insects they can be dangerous or harmful and, when they meet them in the garden or in the vegetable garden, they look for remedies to drive them away or kill them, especially if they have a threatening aspect, as in the case of kite.
The stag beetle (Lucanus cervus) however does not represent a danger, on the contrary, it is a useful and harmless insect, despite the frightening appearance.
Kites are included in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
This is the largest beetle present in Europe: the adult examples of stag beetle appear during the summer months, after having concluded the long larval stage, and can be encountered in broad-leaved woods or in urban environments, along tree-lined avenues and in parks.
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They are widespread both in the plains and in the hills, up to 1000 meters, and are easily recognizable thanks to their characteristic noisy, slow and clumsy flight, as well as for the appearance.
Compared to females, which are smaller and with more reduced mandibles, male stag beetles can exceed 8cm in length and they are endowed with particularly developed jaws thanks to which they can duel with the male rivals of the same species.
The vulgar name of the insect is due precisely to large toothed mandibles of the males, which resemble the antlers of deer.
Although they may seem dangerous, these insects are harmless to humans and very useful for the environment. The stag beetle larvae feed on decaying wood, contributing to the production of humus rich in nutrients. As adults, however, kites feed only on sugary substances such as tree sap and ripe fruit.
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Due to the destruction of the forest habitat the kites are decreasing e they are among the nearly endangered species.
Without the valuable contribution of the kites, the biological cycle of the forest would be significantly compromised and for this reason it is important to protect the dead wood inside the woods and not to resort to drastic measures if a specimen of this species is encountered.
If its presence really annoys you, just remove the kite, perhaps moving it to a meadow.
Sources of reference: Emilia Romagna Region / Forest diversity / IUCN
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