Giraffe stag beetle Coloring Pages

The Longest Stag Beetle in the World! Name Origin and English Name

The Giraffe stag beetle is the longest stag beetle in the whole world! Big males can grow to over 12 centimeters long. They look so amazing that they overpower other beetles.

The name "Giraffe" comes from the Latin word for the animal giraffe. Just like a giraffe's long neck, the male's jaws are long and impressive. That is how it got its name! In English, it is called the "Giraffe stag beetle." People all over the world love this "giraffe beetle."

Where Do They Live? Places You Can Find Them

Giraffe stag beetles do not live in Japanese forests. They live in warm countries in Southeast Asia. You can find many of them in jungles in Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, and India. The ones on Flores Island in Indonesia grow the biggest in the world. In Japan, you can see them at summer bug shows or pet shops.

When Can You See Them? Active Season

They live in warm jungles all year long. There are no four seasons there, so they stay active all through the year. They are nocturnal, which means they move around at night. They fly around high trees and like to gather around lights.

What Do They Eat to Grow Big?

• Adult Beetles: They love sweet tree sap from big jungle trees. They also like sweet juice from fallen fruit. If you keep one as a pet, it will eat up insect jelly super fast!

• Baby Larvae: Larvae live in the dirt or inside old wood. They eat rotten wood and rich dark soil. They eat a lot for about a year to a year and a half so they can grow into the biggest beetles in the world!

How Long Do They Live? Long-Life Kings

Japanese stag beetles only live for a few months as adults. But the Giraffe stag beetle lives for a long time! Once it becomes an adult and moves above ground, it lives for about six months to one year. If you keep them warm and take good care of them, they can even live through the winter into the next year.

Differences Between Males and Females: Secrets of the Jaws and Body

Male and female Giraffe stag beetles look very different. You can tell them apart right away!

• Males: Males have super long jaws. The jaws take up about half of their body length! Inside the jaws, there are many tiny sharp points that look like saw teeth. They use these to grab their enemies tightly.

• Females: Females do not have long jaws. They are small and round. They are bigger than female Japanese stag beetles, and their backs are very smooth and shiny.

The Strongest Fighters! Battle Power

Giraffe stag beetles use their long jaws to fight other beetles for tree sap. Their long reach lets them grab enemies before they can get close! Then, they toss the other beetles right off the tree. They are top fighters in the jungle!

Tips for coloring the world's longest jaws super cool

Let's try to make the male's super long big jaws look super real!

• Show how flat the jaws are: The jaws of a Giraffe stag beetle are long and a little bit flat. Press hard with black along the outer lines. Then, color the flat middle part softly with gray or dark brown.

• Saw-like pointy teeth: Use a sharp black colored pencil to trace over the sharp inner teeth firmly. This will make the ultimate strong jaws look like they really pinch!

How to show a shiny and strong black body

The body of the Giraffe stag beetle is a cool, deep black color.

• Don't color it all solid black: If you color it hard with all black right away, you won't see its cool body lines. The trick is to color the whole body lightly with dark gray or deep dark brown first.

• Leave shiny highlights: Try leaving thin white spaces uncolored on the highest, smoothest parts of its back and head. Then, color dark black around those spots. It will look like a hard, shiny metal body reflecting bright light in the jungle!

Details for coloring males and females differently

This time, there is a cool male picture and a cute, round female picture too. Let's color them differently to match their shapes!

• The male's strength: When you color the male, use strong black strokes on the long leg joints and the sharp claws at the tips of its feet.

• The female's pretty shine: The back of the female is even shinier than the male and reflects light easily. Leave slightly bigger white stripes for light, and color around them with pretty black or dark brown. This brings out her elegant, beautiful shine perfectly!

How to make the tree stump and background look like a real jungle

Coloring the tree where the beetle sits carefully will make your whole picture look way better!

• Tree bark: For the rough bark, move your dark brown pencil up and down along the lines with strong strokes.

• Jungle background: Color the empty background with deep green and yellow-green to look like a thick forest. Dark colors in the back make the long, black Giraffe stag beetle pop right out! You will get an awesome page just like an insect guide book!

The longest stag beetle in the world!

The Giraffe stag beetle is the longest stag beetle in the whole world! Big males can grow to be over 12 centimeters long. That is almost twice as big as Japanese stag beetles!

Named after the giraffe

The word "Giraffe" comes from the tall animal! Just like a giraffe has a long neck, this beetle has long and cool jaws. That is how it got its awesome name!

Spiky weapons like a saw

Look closely inside its huge jaws. You can see many bumpy spikes! They look like a saw. Its pinch is super strong—strong enough to make a hole in wood!

A tough fighter that loves to battle

Just like it looks, it is very tough and fierce! When it fights over food or space, it uses its long jaws to lift up its opponent and flip them right through the air!

Living in the forests of Southeast Asia

They do not live in the wild in Japan. You can find them in warm rainforests in Southeast Asia, like Indonesia and the Philippines. The jaw shape changes a little on different islands. That is why beetle fans love them so much!