Rădașca

Rădașca (lat. Lucanus cervus), also known as raga or caradașca, is a beetle from the Lucanidae family. Rădașca is one of the largest and remarkable beetles in Europe, being the largest beetle in Romania. It can be found in all major areas of relief, even at altitudes of up to 2000 meters in southern Europe. In Romania it is a common occurrence especially on the sunny slopes of the hills. It prefers oak forests as a habitat . Characteristic are the large, reddish mandibles of the male, which resemble deer antlers and can be moved like pliers. In large specimens, the length of the horns can reach almost half of the total length of the beetle, which is 25 - 75 mm. Females are slightly smaller than males and have no "horns". Instead, they have a small "pliers" that they also use to access food. The radish can fly. In the male, in flight the longitudinal axis of the body is oblique, the horns pointing upwards. When not flying, the wings are covered. The larvae of the radish feed first on the vegetal remains of the humus, then on dead or rotten wood, living inside it for 3 to 5 years. However, the adult lives only from May-June to August-September , feeding on sap from the surface of oak bark and natural runoff from other trees