Miyama stag beetle Coloring Pages

Cool fluffy hair and big jaws!

The Miyama stag beetle has a dark body covered in fluffy golden hair! Males also have splendid, branched big jaws. These jaws look just like deer antlers, and they are so cool! The name "Miyama" comes from "Miyama," which means deep in the mountains, because that is where they live.

What are the big jaws for?

Male Miyama stag beetles use their big jaws to fight other males. They use these jaws to pinch and flip their rivals to protect their home area, females, and food spots. Watching them fight is super exciting, just like watching little martial artists!

What do they eat?

Miyama stag beetles love to eat tree sap, mostly from oak trees! At night, they gather at trees with sap leaking out. They are great at finding trees with lots of sap. If you keep one at home, it will happily eat insect jelly.

Where can you meet them?

Just like their name says, Miyama stag beetles often live deep in the mountains or in cool places up high. You can find them in forests and woods across Japan. They especially like places that stay cool even in summer. You might meet one if you look for trees with sap at night!

How do they grow big?

Miyama stag beetles hatch from eggs, become larvae, turn into pupae, and then become adults. Female Miyama stag beetles lay eggs inside rotting oak trees. The hatched larvae eat the rotten wood to grow big. The larva stage lasts for 2 to 3 years, which means they take a long time to grow compared to other stag beetles.

Differences between males and females

Males have splendid big jaws on their heads, and their bodies are big and strong. They also feature fluffy golden hair along the edges of their bodies. Females have smaller jaws and rounder bodies than males. The hair on their bodies is usually harder to see than on males.

How long do they live?

In nature, they live for about a few months after becoming adults. They are active during the summer, and their lives usually end in the autumn. After spending a long time as larvae to become adults, they live their short adult lives with all their energy!

How to Choose Colors: Enjoy the Contrast of Black and Gold!

• Basic Body Color: The body of a Miyama stag beetle is shiny black or a very dark dark brown. If you choose a nice deep color to fill it in, it will look super cool!
• Golden Fur: Try to draw the soft golden fur growing around the edges of its body and near the base of its legs! Use gold, bright yellow, or light brown to color it in detail. It will look just like a real one! This is a big special feature of the Miyama stag beetle, so give it a try!
• Color of the Jaws: Color the jaws in pure black or dark brown, just like the body, to make them look strong. If you make the bumpy parts of the jaws a little darker, it will look even more real!
• Eyes: A stag beetle's eyes are small and black. Color them in nice and dark. If you can add a small white dot for a highlight, your beetle will look full of life!

How to Make It Look 3D: Think About "Shadows" and "Light"!

The body of a Miyama stag beetle is round and sturdy, so it will look amazing if you color it to look 3D!

• Places in the Shadow: Try adding a color that is even darker than your main color inside the jaws, on the sunken parts of the body, and at the base of the legs. This will show how thick its body is and how strong its jaws are!
• Places Where Light Hits: On the other hand, light hits places like the top of its head and back easily! Color these spots with a slightly brighter color, or layer a little gray or light brown gently over your main color. This will really show off its shiny look!

Show Off the Shiny Body and Soft Fur!

With the Miyama stag beetle, you can enjoy two textures at once: a shiny body and soft fur!

• When you color the body with colored pencils or crayons, try not to color the whole thing flat. Leave some white spots, or gently layer a white colored pencil over your main color. It will look like it is shining bright!
• For the furry parts, use the tip of your colored pencil to draw thin single lines, or gently tap colors on to make it look nice and soft!

Tips to Enjoy Your Coloring Page!

• Try Drawing a Background!: Imagine where your Miyama stag beetle is and draw a background! Is it on a tree deep in the forest? Or is it drinking tree sap under the night sky? Drawing trees, leaves, or the night sky will make your picture come alive!
• Express Yourself Freely!: You do not have to use real Miyama stag beetle colors! It is also fun to use colors that make you think, "It would be cool if a Miyama stag beetle looked like this!" A stag beetle with fantasy colors sounds wonderful, too!