How strong is the stag beetle's bite?

Researchers stage stag beetle battles to solve the mystery of how the male beetles bite so hard. read more

Male stag beetles are pretty much incapable of biting, their mandibles are so long, that applying enough strength to do much more than tickle a human is impossible for them. The males "antlers" are used to fight in trials of strength with other males. read more

The extreme length of the beetles' jaws should make it difficult for them to produce a forceful bite. As well as measuring the bite forces that the beetles could produce, the scientists, from Antwerp University, filmed stag beetle fights to assess their biting power. read more

Stag beetles: They are black to dark-brown and have large mandibles. The male does not have enough strength in his jaws to bite, however, the female does. A bite from the female can be painful, but does not normally require any medical treatment. read more