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Laferte's saw stag beetle
IntermediateProsopocoilus lafertei
A saw stag beetle of New Caledonia and nearby Pacific islands. Unlike the many slender members of its genus it is thick and heavily built, with bright orange wing cases and a strong grip.
Difficulty
Intermediate
Temperature
20〜28℃
Lifespan
Larval stage 10-14 months (little data on adult lifespan)
Size
Captive records 83.4mm (male) and 48.7mm (female); wild record 81.2mm (male)
Humidity
60〜80%
Diet
Adults take beetle jelly; larvae eat fine fermented substrate
About
Prosopocoilus lafertei (Reiche, 1852) is a saw stag beetle of New Caledonia, the Loyalty Islands and the New Hebrides (Vanuatu); GBIF records likewise cluster in Vanuatu and New Caledonia. Perhaps because of long isolation on Pacific islands, it has a thick, stout build unlike the mostly slender saw stags, and bright orange wing cases. Like its relatives P. wallacei and P. hasterti it grips trees very strongly. After its description in 1852 it went uncollected for a long time and entered the hobby only after it was found again. In the New Hebrides it has been seen gnawing the shoot tips of a legume locally called the Christmas tree, with two or three males gathered around each female. It is easy to rear, large adults emerge readily and females lay well in substrate, but the larval stage is long at ten months to a year and two months. The BE-KUWA 2025 edition gives male records of 83.4mm captive and 81.2mm wild. In Japan captive-bred beetles are sold in a range of sizes.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Lifespan of the Laferte's saw stag beetle
The Laferte's saw stag beetle lives Larval stage 10-14 months (little data on adult lifespan).
Size of the Laferte's saw stag beetle
The Laferte's saw stag beetle grows to Captive records 83.4mm (male) and 48.7mm (female); wild record 81.2mm (male).
Basic Info
Origin
New Caledonia, the Loyalty Islands and Vanuatu (New Hebrides)
Lifespan
Larval stage 10-14 months (little data on adult lifespan)
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
- Wikipedia
- Plant Protection Station: Importing Scarabaeoidea (JA)
- Plant Protection Station: Importing live insects (JA)
- Ministry of the Environment: List of invasive alien species (JA)
- Species+ CITES query (no listing)
- BE-KUWA Certified Breeding Records (Mushi-sha, FY2025 edition PDF, JA)
- GBIF: Prosopocoilus lafertei (Reiche, 1852) ／国別の記録
Taxonomy & Authority
Regulations & Conservation Status
Not CITES-listed
Many live foreign Scarabaeoidea (stag beetles, rhinoceros beetles, flower chafers and relatives) are quarantine pests whose import is banned under Japan's Plant Protection Act, and even importable species require a species-name certificate from a foreign government body under the Invasive Alien Species Act (entry only via designated airports, never by international post). Whether a species may enter must be checked with the Plant Protection Station in advance, so choose domestically bred stock and never release captive beetles.
Sources: Plant Protection Station: Importing Scarabaeoidea (JA) / Plant Protection Station: Importing live insects (JA) / Ministry of the Environment: List of invasive alien species (JA) / Species+ CITES query (no listing)
Regulations may change. Always verify the latest information with the relevant authorities.
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