How difficult is it to keep Astacoides Saw Stag Beetle?

Beginner. This is a beginner-friendly species. No special equipment or experience is required, and it can be kept successfully with basic care setup.

What is the ideal temperature for Astacoides Saw Stag Beetle?

The ideal temperature for Astacoides Saw Stag Beetle is 20〜24℃. Avoid sudden temperature changes and maintain a stable environment.

What is the lifespan of Astacoides Saw Stag Beetle?

The average lifespan of Astacoides Saw Stag Beetle is About 8-10 months as adults. With proper care and nutrition, they can live a long and healthy life.

What is the typical price for Astacoides Saw Stag Beetle?

The price of Astacoides Saw Stag Beetle varies significantly depending on bloodline, size, captive-bred generation, and sex. Check our market price page for the latest pricing information.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Astacoides Saw Stag Beetle

Q: How large does Astacoides Saw Stag Beetle get?

Astacoides Saw Stag Beetle typically reaches Males reach about 70mm in most localities; up to 88mm on the Malay Peninsula and about 76mm in Sumatra as an adult. Size may vary depending on care conditions and individual genetics.

Q: What should I feed Astacoides Saw Stag Beetle?

Astacoides Saw Stag Beetle feeds on: Beetle jelly (in the wild, sap it chews from the bark of slender hardwoods and vines); larvae on fermented substrate or fungus bottles. Aim for a balanced diet with appropriate feeding frequency.

Beginner

Prosopocoilus astacoides

A medium to large saw stag beetle ranging from India through China and Taiwan to Indochina and Sumatra. Living beetles are a bright yellowish to reddish brown, and the colour makes it popular; it also breeds readily.

Difficulty

Beginner

Temperature

20〜24℃

Lifespan

About 8-10 months as adults

Size

Males reach about 70mm in most localities; up to 88mm on the Malay Peninsula and about 76mm in Sumatra

Humidity

60〜80%

Diet

Beetle jelly (in the wild, sap it chews from the bark of slender hardwoods and vines); larvae on fermented substrate or fungus bottles

About

Prosopocoilus astacoides is a medium to large saw stag beetle ranging from India through Mongolia, China, Jeju in Korea, Taiwan, Indochina and the Malay Peninsula to Sumatra and Java. Some authors place it in Metopodontus, or write it as Prosopocoilus (Metopodontus) astacoides as a subgenus. Males reach about 70mm in most localities, but the Malay Peninsula subspecies mizunumai is far larger at up to 88mm, followed by Sumatran stock at about 76mm. Both sexes are a bright yellowish to reddish brown while alive and darken after death. It lives in hills between about 500 and 2000m, avoiding the interior of dark primary forest in favour of bright forest edges, secondary growth and farmland. It gathers on young slender hardwoods and vines, including legumes, and feeds on sap oozing from bark it has chewed. It also comes readily to lights. Its colour makes it popular and it breeds easily, though males are bad tempered.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Lifespan of the Astacoides Saw Stag Beetle

The Astacoides Saw Stag Beetle lives About 8-10 months as adults.

Size of the Astacoides Saw Stag Beetle

The Astacoides Saw Stag Beetle grows to Males reach about 70mm in most localities; up to 88mm on the Malay Peninsula and about 76mm in Sumatra.

Temperature & humidity for the Astacoides Saw Stag Beetle

The ideal temperature for the Astacoides Saw Stag Beetle is 20〜24℃.

Basic Info

Origin

Care Specifications

AggressiveSolitaryBreeding: Easy

Sources: Wikipedia (Prosopocoilus astacoides, ja) / Tsukiyono Kinokoen: Prosopocoilus giraffa rearing manual (general care for foreign saw stags) / BE-KUWA rearing records (2025 edition, Mushi-sha) / Wikipedia (en)

Breeding Records & Localities

Captive record (♂)

82.8 mm

Wild record (♂)

90 mm

Record source: BE-KUWA 2025 edition (mizunumai: captive 82.8 mm, Takebe Shin, registered 2023; wild 90.0 mm). The same edition lists pallidipennis 73.6 mm, blanchardi 72.7 mm, karubei 72.1 mm, reni 71.0 mm, fraternus 69.0 mm and dubernardi 67.2 mm.

Notable localities

Malay PeninsulaSumatraChina (Sichuan to Fujian)TaiwanVietnamNortheast India

Regional subspecies

Prosopocoilus astacoides astacoides（Nominate subspecies） — Northeast India (Assam)
Prosopocoilus astacoides blanchardi（Also called the two-spot red saw stag） — Mongolia, China (Sichuan to Fujian), Korea (Jeju), Taiwan
Prosopocoilus astacoides fraternus — Northern Myanmar, China (southern Yunnan), northern Laos, northern Vietnam
Prosopocoilus astacoides karubei — Central to southern Vietnam
Prosopocoilus astacoides dubernardi

References & Sources

Edited & verified by: BreederDirect editorial team

The taxonomic, regulatory, and husbandry data on this page are compiled and verified against the authoritative primary sources below.

Primary sources

Taxonomy & Authority

Accepted name: Prosopocoilus astacoides (Hope, 1840)

Synonyms: Metopodontus astacoides, Prosopocoilus (Metopodontus) astacoides

Authority databases: GBIF

Nomenclature follows global taxonomic authority databases.

Regulations & Conservation Status

Not CITES-listed

Plant Protection Act: When importing live specimens of Scarabaeoidea (including rhinoceros beetles, stag beetles, flower beetles, etc.), a species identification certificate issued by the exporting country government agency or equivalent must be attached in accordance with the Invasive Species Act (import ports are limited to Narita, Chubu, Kansai, Fukuoka, and Kagoshima airports). This species itself is not a designated invasive species, and import is possible upon submission of the certificate.

Sources: Ministry of the Environment, Invasive Species Act: "Guidance for Those Importing Live Insects in Scarabaeoidea" / CITES Appendix (checklist.cites.org)

Regulations may change. Always verify the latest information with the relevant authorities.