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Exhibit of the Month 7 / 2020
Brown Stag Beetle (Osmoderma barnabita)
is a striking, approximately 2.5 centimeters long scarab beetle (family Scarabaeidae). It occurs in original deciduous forests, parks, or avenues. It primarily lives in the cavities of old trees, which it almost never leaves.
It is among the critically endangered species protected by law. The main cause of its threat is the removal of old trees and the associated destruction of avenues. Equally serious is the sanitization or burning of cavities in old trees. Problems can also arise if the stag beetle occurs in a legally protected tree, as management measures to protect the tree are completely contrary to measures to protect this beetle. To save the tree, it is necessary to stop the decay of wood; on the other hand, the beetle needs dead wood for its development. Currently, the stag beetle is found locally throughout the territory of the Czech Republic.
From the Most region, it is primarily known from the foothills of the Ore Mountains and lives, for example, in the Jezeřské Arboretum and also on the slopes around Jezeří Castle. However, proving the occurrence of this beetle in the locality is not easy, so it can be assumed that it will be found in more places. Beetles often inhabit cavities in the upper parts of standing trees, and since they almost never leave the cavities, they easily escape attention.