I arrived to my best friend’s house after dark. His patio light was on, and as I approached the back door, I saw a gigantic bug latched onto the screen of the kitchen window.
I LOVE BUGS! And I knew immediately what kind it was. When I was a kid, we called them “pinching bugs”, but I learned the correct name is “stag beetle”. Once again, I had found a MUSE!
I LOVE BUGS! And I knew immediately what kind it was. When I was a kid, we called them “pinching bugs”, but I learned the correct name is “stag beetle”. Once again, I had found a MUSE!
I collected the specimen and took him inside to get a better look. He had two extra large mandibles (pinchers) that looked like the antlers of a deer – hence the name “stag beetle”. And he was nearly two inches long. Although my best friend was not excited about having a gigantic bug inside his house, I kept the creature overnight.
The following day, I collected some dirt, rotting wood, and some leaves to make my new friend a habitat. And today, I plan to take him to my creative writing class at the Orchard School here in Indianapolis. There, I will have my students give our friend a name. Maybe he will even become the class mascot. After class, we will release our friend back to the wild (smile).
But before I take Mr. Stag Beetle to class, I think I should do a little research on his kind. This way I can answer some questions if some of my students are inspired to write a story featuring stag beetles.
Here is what I found:
Stag beetles go through complete metamorphosis. This means they grow from egg, larva, pupa, to adult. The female lays eggs on rotting wood. When the egg hatches, the larva feeds on this rotting wood. This stage can last for several years.
Once the larva is finished eating, it will burrow into the ground to pupate. Eventually the adult beetle will dig itself out of the ground and search for a mate. The adult beetle will live for one to two years.
Male stag beetles use their large mandibles to fight other males, and the strongest one gets the girl (wink).
Adult beetles like to eat leaves and sap. The beetle I found has been feasting on a rotten apple. I hear they like any type of rotting fruit. YUMMY!
Stag beetles are not at the top of the food chain. Lizards, raccoons, snakes, toads, weasels, skunks, and even centipedes like to dine on the stag beetle.
And no, stag beetles are not considered a pest like termites. They are considered a beneficial insect because they promote the healthy decomposition of fallen trees in the forest. Rotting trees decompose into fertile soil for new trees to grow.
By the way, stag beetles CAN fly.
With that new knowledge, what kind of story could you write? Maybe these “what if” questions will help you get started.
WHAT IF your stag beetle character preferred chocolate cake instead of rotting fruit. And what if this led to your stag beetle character opening his/her own bakery?
WHAT IF your stag beetle character entered into the “Ultimate Pinching Bug Fight”? What could he win? What could he lose?
WHAT IF you wrote a story about a stag beetle that didn’t think he/she was a stag beetle. Maybe he/she actually thinks he/she is a ninja, princess, a moose, or a rooster.
The possibilities are endless, and please leave your own “what if” questions in the comment section below. I’d love to see what you come up with.
Grab a cup of hot cocoa, a pencil and a piece of paper, and let’s begin. With your imagination, we can go anywhere. I look forward to seeing where you take us.
With Imagination,
Professor Watermelon
P.S. The word of the day is “mandible”. Here is the definition: either of a pair of mouthparts in insects and other arthropods that are usually used for biting and crushing food.
1. WHAT IF the stag beetle loved to dance while eating gummy worms?
ReplyDelete2. WHAT IF the stag beetle holds the stag beetle world record for holding his breath underwater the longest?
What if stag beetles ate flowers?
ReplyDelete2. what if Ben Franklin found a stag beetle in his bath tub?
ReplyDelete3. What if stag beetles were blue?
4. what if stag beetles didn't have pinchers?
5. What if a stag beetle could fly to the moon?
6. what if a swarm of stag beetles ate a person?
7. what if stag beetles were actually miniature people hiding under the shells?
8. what if a rock ate a stag beetle?
9. What if stag beetles were giant?
10. What if stag beetles were fireman and policemen?
11. what if stag beetles could jump over a tall building?
12. what if stag beetles had no legs?
13. what if stag beetles were so scary that on Halloween everyone dressed up as a stag beetle?
1.What if the beetle loved to ride dogs like we ride horses?
ReplyDelete2.What if the beetle was in love with Professor Watermelon?
3.What if the beetle was actually a ladybug in disguise?
4.What if the beetle was the meanest bug ever?
5. What if all the other stag beetles were afraid of this stag beetle?
6.What if the beetle loved Disney princesses?
7. What if the beetle had pop tarts for breakfast?
8. What if the beetle loved to knit scarves?
9. What if the beetle was best friends with a troll?
10. What if the beetle had 10000 siblings?
11. What if the beetle wanted to enter the medical field?
12.what if the beetle wanted to pursue his dream of being an acrobat?
13. What if the beetle loves babysitting?
14. What if the beetle could crawl from california to new York in one week?
15. What if the beetle was very disturbed by other insects?
16. What if the beetle loved eating ketchup?
17. What if the beetle painted his mandibles?
18. What if the beetle loves to ride bicycles?
ReplyDelete19.what if the beetle wanted to dye his hair orange?
1. What if a beetle tried to pinch accidentally pinched himself?
ReplyDelete2. What if a stag Beetle went on an adventure inside a computer?
3. What if a stag beetle could fly all the way to California?
4. What if a stag beetle tried to play piano?
5. What if a stag beetle had his own facebook page?
6. WHat if a stag beetle had brothers and sisters who were grasshoppers, spiders, and worms?
7. What if a stag beetle turned into a person during the day?
8. What if a stag beetle ran for president?
9. What if a stag beetle was in a movie?
10. What if a stag beetle played on the Mariners?
What if a stag beetle could talk?
ReplyDeleteWhat if a stag beetle was green?
What if a stag beetle was a monster?
What if a stag beetle was a rock?
What if a stag beetle lived in the rain forest?
What if a stag beetle had thanks giving?
What if a stag beetle nows what 1 plus 1 was?
What if a stag beetle played baseball?
What if a stag beetle was a river?
What if a stag beetle was bigger than a rock?
What if a stag beetle tuned into a bird?
What if a stag beetle was a paper cuter?
What if stag beteetle shedded its skin?
ReplyDeletewhat if a stag beetles ate icecream?
What if stag betles were 70 feet tall?
what if stag beetles were 100 pounds?
what if stag beetles could talk?
what if a stag beetles could save the world?
what if stag beetle controled the world?
what if a stag bettle cuased an earthquake
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