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Chibi Stag Beetle
IntermediateFigulus binodulus
A tiny stag beetle only 1-2 cm long. With almost no difference between sexes, it shows subsocial behavior — adults live with their larvae inside rotten wood. It also eats animal matter.
Difficulty
Intermediate
Temperature
18〜28℃
Lifespan
Adult 2-3 years (overwinters; up to 5 years recorded)
Size
About 10-20mm (sexes nearly identical)
Humidity
55〜75%
Diet
Rotten wood, beetle jelly (also takes animal matter)
About
The chibi stag beetle (Figulus binodulus) is a tiny lucanid only about 10-20 mm long, entirely black with an elongated body and finely striated elytra. Its most remarkable trait is subsocial behavior: adults remain inside rotten wood and care for their young, chewing the wood to make it easier for the larvae to feed. It lives in groups under the bark of decayed oak, sawtooth oak, cherry and wisteria logs and can be found year-round. The sexes are nearly identical in mandible shape, making them hard to tell apart. Omnivorous, it eats not only sap but also worms and small insects beneath the bark, overwinters as an adult and lives 2-3 years (up to 5 in captivity). The key to keeping it is to let it burrow into rotten wood rather than mat alone, and its unusual ecology gives it a devoted following.
Basic Info
Origin
Japan (Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu and others)
Lifespan
Adult 2-3 years (overwinters; up to 5 years recorded)
Size
About 10-20mm (sexes nearly identical)
Temperature
18〜28℃
Humidity
55〜75%
Diet
Rotten wood, beetle jelly (also takes animal matter)
Care Guide
Temperature
Keep at 18-28°C
References & Sources
Edited & verified by: br-choku editorial team
The taxonomic, regulatory, and husbandry data on this page are compiled and verified against the authoritative primary sources below.
Regulations & Conservation Status
Not CITES-listed
Plant Protection Act: 国産（在来）種のため、生体輸入に関わる外来生物法の種類名証明書は不要。
在来種だが、飼育・購入した個体を野外に放すことは避けること。地域個体群の遺伝的撹乱を招く。
Regulations may change. Always verify the latest information with the relevant authorities.
Chibi Stag Beetle Listings
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