Stag Beetle (Lucanus cervus)

Europe's largest beetle needs no introduction, but deserves one anyway. The male Stag Beetle (Lucanus cervus) carries a pair of enormous, antler-like mandibles so exaggerated they seem almost ornamental - natural weaponry that gives the species its common name and its unmistakable silhouette.

Stag Beetles are found across much of Europe, with strongholds in southern England, France, and Germany. Adults emerge in late spring and are most active on warm summer evenings, when males can sometimes be seen flying clumsily between trees in search of mates. The oversized mandibles are used in wrestling bouts with rival males - dramatic but rarely harmful encounters in which each beetle attempts to flip the other onto its back. Females, with their smaller but sharper jaws, are arguably the more effective biters.

The Stag Beetle spends most of its life hidden from view. Larvae develop underground for up to seven years, feeding on decaying wood and slowly growing to the size of a human thumb. This long developmental period makes the species vulnerable to habitat loss - particularly the removal of dead wood from parks, gardens, and woodlands. Once widespread, Stag Beetles have declined significantly across northern Europe and are now a protected species in several countries. Their spectacular appearance has made them a flagship for invertebrate conservation.

Bugs is a collection of natural history illustration prints drawn from the insect world - beetles, flies, bugs, butterflies, and moths selected for the strangeness, beauty, and variety of their forms.

Each illustration is adapted from Simon Tyler's book Bugs, published by Pavilion in 2017 and subsequently published in French and Chinese. The series draws on the tradition of scientific natural history illustration - precise, considered, and attentive to the details that make each species distinctive.

Insects account for the majority of all known animal species on Earth. This collection is a small survey of what that diversity looks like.

All prints are produced to order on 250gsm archival matte paper using pigment-based inks, chosen for colour accuracy and long-term stability.

Each print is rolled in acid-free tissue and shipped in a rigid cardboard tube, sealed for moisture protection, ready for framing on arrival.

Large · 50 × 70 cm · 20 × 28 in

XLarge · 70 × 100 cm · 28 × 40 in

UK: Free · 3-5 working days

Europe: €8.50 · 3-7 working days · No customs charges

USA & Canada: $8.95 / $12.00 CAD · 5-10 working days

Australia: $14.00 AUD · 5-10 working days

Rest of World: £14.95 · 7-14 working days

All prints are produced to order and dispatched within 1-3 working days. Orders placed before 5pm GMT ship the same day. You'll receive tracking information by email once dispatched.

Orders outside Europe may be subject to local customs charges on delivery - these are the responsibility of the recipient.

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Returns accepted within 30 days. Email returns@axisophy.com with your order number and we'll provide return instructions.

Return postage is the customer's responsibility except where the print arrives damaged or there's been an error - in which case we'll arrange a replacement or refund immediately, no return needed.

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