Source: Wikimedia Commons
Nepal lesser stag beetle
AdvancedDorcus nepalensis
The world's largest lesser stag beetle, from the Himalaya, reaching nearly 80mm. Males have long, straight mandibles and colouring reminiscent of Odontolabis. A cool-highland species that is hard to keep in Japan.
Difficulty
Advanced
Temperature
20〜28℃
Lifespan
Little data
Size
Up to nearly 80mm (captive records 78.4mm male, 52.5mm female; wild record 80.0mm male)
Humidity
60〜80%
Diet
Adults take sap or beetle jelly; larvae eat rotten wood, fungus media or fermented substrate
About
Dorcus nepalensis (Hope, 1831) is a stag beetle of the subgenus Hemisodorcus, also sold as nepalensis lesser stag. It is given for northeastern India and Nepal, and GBIF records come from across the Himalaya, including Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh in India, Tibet in China, Bhutan and Nepal. It was described as Lucanus nepalensis and has several synonyms such as Lucanus parryi. It is the largest lesser stag beetle in the world, approaching 80mm, and its size and Odontolabis-like colouring make it popular. Male mandibles run long and straight, with the first inner tooth a little forward of the middle. In the same subgenus, D. arrowi has mandibles that arc widely to the sides, and D. donckieri has straighter mandibles and deep reddish-brown wing cases. As a species of cool zones it is considered hard to keep in Japan. The BE-KUWA 2025 edition gives male records of 78.4mm captive and 80.0mm wild and a female captive record of 52.5mm. Specialist shops in Japan carry it as a staple exotic lesser stag.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Size of the Nepal lesser stag beetle
The Nepal lesser stag beetle grows to Up to nearly 80mm (captive records 78.4mm male, 52.5mm female; wild record 80.0mm male).
Basic Info
Origin
The Himalaya (northern and northeastern India, Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet, China)
Lifespan
Little data
Size
Up to nearly 80mm (captive records 78.4mm male, 52.5mm female; wild record 80.0mm male)
Temperature
20〜28℃
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)
- Dorcus rectus - Wikipedia (JA), notes on related species
- BE-KUWA Certified Breeding Records (Mushi-sha, FY2025 edition PDF, JA)
- GBIF: Dorcus nepalensis (Hope, 1831) ／地域別の記録
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.
Nepal lesser stag beetle Listings
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