Dear Maria,

Dorcus parallelipipedus is a common European species but is not too frequent. I used to find several individuals each year where I live in Hungary. I do not know whether it is a protected species or not?

 Hi András,

As far as I know D. parallelipipedus is not a protected species; it is rather an overlooked stag beetle. All the attention has gone to Lucanus cervus, which is protected in some parts of its range. But you could check what is going on in Hungary, of course.

Dear Maria,

D. parallelipipedus is listed as LC in the IUCN Red List of Saproxylic Beetles, but only locally protected. Anyway, if you need specimens from Italy, please send me your address and email.

Dear Maria,

I could provide specimens from Luxembourg, If you are interested, could you inform me about details concerning the transport means? 

Hi! Thanks for both responses. Yes, please, Dorcus parallelipipedus live females from Italy and Luxembourg would be lovely. They are to be sent directly to Masahiko Tanahashi, Japan. As I'm not very familiar with the ResearchGate etiquette, I'm reluctant to write here his postal address. So when you or anybody else finds a female, please contact me on my email [email protected] and we go from there.

Muchas gracias.

I did not think it was possible to send living beetles in foreign states.  To USA, it would be impossible.

I have no idea concerning the boxes.I suppose glass... but then, do you think it is necessary to add somethings inside (food? wood? cotton?). The trip could take several weeks and I do not know the surviving possibilities of these beetles.

Atentamente,

In most case Lucanids survive by sending them as follows: fill a plastic box (about 30x20x15 cm, or more) with a mix of minced cork and natural substrate of the beetles (fragments of dead wood, frass and wood mould, which to be dry), and with a sponge soaked with water saturated with sugar. Then you ship...

Regards

Excellent!

Thank you Alessandro!

Thanks Francesco and Alessandro for your interest.

Well, here is what Masahiko recommends:

""Regarding the packaging, I usually put an insect in a small

plastic container (like a Tupperware or some medicine container),

pack tissue paper so tightly that insect cannot move, and add

water to moisten the tissue paper. One or more air vent hole(s)

should be needed, depending on the size and air-tightness of

the container. It would be better to tape the lid of the container.

The insects can survive at least two weeks at moderate temperature

if only there is sufficient moisture. On this point, a little

largish container, compared to the insect itself, may be better

for a long journey from Europe to Japan. Never include a food

material within a package because it will be fermented during

transport and cause severe oxygen deficiency. If you have two or

more D.parallelipipedus females that were collected at the same

sampling site, putting multiple insects in a larger container is

not a problem."

I have sent him stag beetles from the UK. It is perfectly legal here; but the rules might be different across European countries. The journey takes about one week by air. Once I sent a female Dp inside as media card; very tight but she survived. An old CD box would be far superior accommodation, though. 

In any case, I shall give updates if any beetles have been sent and which countries. Spain and France are top priority!

Maria

Dear Maria, 

I have finally found a pair of Dorcus from Luxembourg.

Are you still interested in receiving them?

Best regards,

Francesco

Yes, please. Only live females are needed, but larvae and their frass are also very good. What did you collect?

Best regards,

Maria

I collected a living female.

Monday I send a packet as you indicated me in previous replies.

Best regards,

Francesco

Thank you very much indeed, Francesco.

Best regards,

Maria