Last night a large mud-caked beetle landed in my path. He permitted many photos and didn't mind my lantern at all. His enormous mandibles distinguish him as a male Stag Beetle (family
Lucanidae), specifically a Reddish-Brown Stag Beetle (
Lucanus capreolus). He is also known as a Pinching Bug, Pinching Beetle, and Common Stag Beetle, but don't worry about those pincers: he won't bite unless you handle him roughly. They're meant for fighting male rivals during mating season. His elytra are smooth and reddish-brown; his femora are tan/orange; and his antennae are jointed and clubbed. He looked like he had been burrowing through the mud!
While larvae feed on rotting logs, adults will drink sugar water or other diluted sugary foods. These beetles pose no threat to vegetation and apparently can make good
pets if properly cared for.
References:
http://bugguide.net/node/view/3107 (
L. capreolus)
http://bugguide.net/node/view/3103 (
Lucanidae)
http://www.insectsofwestvirginia.net/b/lucanus-capreolus.html
http://maria.fremlin.de/stagbeetles/usa/pseudolucanuscapreolus_id.html
http://www.insectidentification.org/insect-description.asp?identification=Stag-Beetle-Lucanus-Capreolus
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