Source: Wikimedia Commons
Buquet's Stag Beetle
BeginnerHexarthrius buqueti
An all-black fork-horned stag beetle from Java. The mandible tips fork cleanly like a crab's claw; the body resembles Parry's stag but lacks red elytra. Inexpensive and hardy, with larvae that grow on kinshi or substrate, it is regarded as an entry species for the genus.
Difficulty
Beginner
Temperature
23〜25℃
Lifespan
Adults 4-7 months
Size
Males 41-85mm, females 37-45mm
Humidity
60〜80%
Diet
Beetle jelly (adults); kinshi bottles or fermented substrate (larvae)
About
Buquet's stag beetle (Hexarthrius buqueti) is a fork-horned stag beetle from Java, Indonesia. It is entirely black, and when the mandibles open they curve like a Cyclommatus and fork neatly at the tip, earning the Japanese aliases Kanigata-futamata (crab-claw) and Kadoago. It closely resembles the black H. nigritus from Thailand but has straight-sided pronotal margins. Males measure 41-85mm and females 37-45mm; the BE-KUWA 2025 captive record is 86.6mm (2014). On Java it lives alongside H. rhinoceros and hybridisation has been suggested. Trade volume is modest but the species is inexpensive, and with adults at 23-25C and larvae at 20-25C it grows robustly, so it is regarded with Parry's stag as an entry species for the genus. Like all Hexarthrius it is aggressive, and the male's mandibles are tied during pairing to protect the female. Eggs are laid in Quercus or Kawara logs at a slightly warm 25-27C.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Lifespan of the Buquet's Stag Beetle
The Buquet's Stag Beetle lives Adults 4-7 months.
Size of the Buquet's Stag Beetle
The Buquet's Stag Beetle grows to Males 41-85mm, females 37-45mm.
Temperature & humidity for the Buquet's Stag Beetle
The ideal temperature for the Buquet's Stag Beetle is 23〜25℃.
Basic Info
Origin
Java, Indonesia (West to East Java)
Lifespan
Adults 4-7 months
Care Specifications
AggressiveSolitaryBreeding: Easy
Sources: Hakurai Rokkyakudo: rearing Hexarthrius buqueti / COLORS fork-horned stag beetle catalogue / Wikipedia (ja): Hexarthrius
Breeding Records & Localities
Captive record (♂)
86.6 mm
Record source: BE-KUWA 2025 edition (Buquet's stag: captive 86.6mm, Kohei Abe, 2014; wild record 84.3mm)
Notable localities
West JavaEast Java (Sukabumi)
No subspecies. The BE-KUWA female record is 45.1mm (2016).
Generation codes
- WD
- Wild-caught
- WF1
- Offspring of a wild-caught female
- F1〜
- Captive generations (same locality)
- CBF1
- Cross-locality captive-bred (reset)
Sources: BE-KUWA certified breeding records (Mushi-sha, 2025 edition)
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.
Taxonomy & Authority
Accepted name: Hexarthrius buqueti (Hope, 1843)
Synonyms: Hexarthrius buquettii
Authority databases: GBIF
Nomenclature follows global taxonomic authority databases.
Regulations & Conservation Status
Not CITES-listed
Plant Protection Act: Live Scarabaeoidea beetles (rhinoceros, stag and flower beetles) may be imported into Japan only with a species-name certificate issued by the exporting government under the Invasive Alien Species Act, and only through Narita, Chubu, Kansai, Fukuoka or Kagoshima airports. This species is not a designated invasive alien species and can be imported with the certificate.
Sources: Ministry of the Environment (Japan): Importing live Scarabaeoidea beetles / CITES Appendices (species not listed)
Regulations may change. Always verify the latest information with the relevant authorities.
Buquet's Stag Beetle Listings
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