Mt Mangana Stag Beetle

Habitat

• Habitat’ refers to both known habitat for the species (i.e. in or near habitat where the species has been recorded) and potential habitat (i.e. areas of habitat with appropriate characteristics for the species and within the species potential range which have not yet been surveyed).
• If in doubt about whether a site represents potential habitat for this species, contact the Threatened Species Section for further advice.
• The known range of the Mt Mangana Stag Beetle includes wet forests south and west of Hobart (the “Southern Forests”), part of South Bruny Island, and parts of the Tasman and Forestier peninsulas. The distribution of the species is patchy within areas of suitable habitat. The potential range of the species may be greater than is currently known, and further searches may find the species south of the D’Entrecasteaux River, to the northwest in the Styx and West Uxbridge areas, and in the Florentine and Mt Field areas.
• Habitat for the Mt Mangana Stag Beetle corresponds to ‘wet forest’ in the NRE Bushcare Toolkit​. See Eucalypt Bush in the Bushcare Toolkit for more information on managing this vegetation type.
• Habitat for the Mt Mangana Stag Beetle includes the following elements: a broad range of wet forest communities from old-growth mixed forest to 20 year old wet silvicultural regrowth forest; the species may also occur in rainforest; preferred habitats appear to occur at be below 650 m a.s.l., and annual rainfall between 700 mm and 1200 mm; the essential habitat element for the species is large decaying eucalypt logs in wet forest in which they spend almost their entire life.

What to avoid

• Conversion of habitat (e.g. to plantation or pasture/cropping land)
• Uncontrolled access by stock to habitat
• High intensity burns in areas of habitat
• Firewood collection in areas of habitat

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• The Mt Mangana Stag Beetle occurs almost entirely within decayed logs. Destructive sampling of logs involves breaking them open and searching the decayed interior for adult beetles.
• However, determining the presence of the species at a particular site does not necessarily require destruction of decayed logs and can be quite quick. Beetles can be quite close to the surface of the log under dense beds of moss, (which can be gently removed and replaced), and beneath logs (which can be rolled to reveal live beetles or fragments of dead beetles, especially in sites with high population densities).
• Pitfall trapping has very low capture rates for this species and is not a suitable means of sampling for this species.

• ​In order to recognise the species if it occurs on your property, learn to identify the Mt Mangana Stag Beetle. If in doubt, seek expert assistance with identification.
• If you live or work in the area where the species occurs (see distribution map, above), look out for and record any observations of the species. All records of this species can provide important information on distribution and abundance.
• If you are interested in knowing for certain whether the species occurs on your land, organise a formal survey. You may need to employ an ecological consultant to do this. Your local Bushcare or Field Naturalist club may be able to assist you with a survey.
• Important! Always report any observations of the species to the NRE Natural Values Atlas, or else provide the data direct to the Threatened Species Section. Records stored on the NVA are a permanent record and are accessible to other people interested in this species.
• Consider the needs of the whole habitat. Preserving a threatened species' habitat is the best way to manage both the species and the environment in which it lives.
• Habitat for the Mt Mangana Stag Beetle corresponds to ‘wet forest' in the NRE Bushcare Toolkit​. See Eucalypt Bush in the Bushcare Toolkit for more information on managing this vegetation type.
• For long-term protection of populations on private land – consider protection of habitat through a vegetation management agreement or conservation covenant.

• To prevent permanent loss of habitat - avoid conversion of habitat (e.g. to plantation or pasture/cropping land).

Stock trampling

• Uncontrolled access by stock to areas of forest habitat can lead to degradation of the leaf litter habitat for this species through compaction of the leaf litter and soil.
• To prevent degradation of habitat through compaction of leaf litter and soil - avoid uncontrolled access by stock to areas of habitat.

• ​The burning of forest habitat has the effect of removing accumulated litter and coarse woody debris, which then can take many years to re-accumulate.
• To prevent loss of coarse woody debris and leaf litter - avoid high intensity burns in areas of habitat.

Firewood collection

• ​The Mt Mangana Stag Beetle spends almost its entire life living in rotting logs on the forest floor, and the presence of rotting logs and other coarse woody debris is vital for the survival of the species.
• To prevent loss coarse woody debris including rotting logs and leaf litter - avoid firewood collection in areas of habitat.