Stag Bulls

Stag Bulls are specially bred stag beetles that the Miinu use for pulling large objects like carts or farming tools. They are one of many insects that the miinu have domesticated.

Physical Traits

Stag Bulls are visually similar to Japanese rhinoceros beetles, notable for their large round bodies and massive horns on their heads, which branch off at the tip like antlers. What makes Stag bulls stand out is they were bred to have vibrant colors, which makes them easily identifiable by the miinu, but also to cause predators to mistake them for being poisonous. Sometimes, their dazzling colors are bred purely for aesthetic taste.
Stag bulls have also developed fluffier underbellies covered in chitin hairs that insulate their body during the winter. Like many insect species, they will end up hibernating during the winter.

Behavior

They've also been bred to have a calmer attitude than their wild counterparts, and are less likely to get aggressive or territorial around other insects. Being raised by miinu with a consistent diet of notorious food also makes them smarter and stronger.
Stag bulls have also adapted to a diurnal metabolic schedule, as they are used more during the daytime.

Life Span

Stag bulls tend to have a much longer life span than their counterparts, in part through breeding, plus the conditions they are raised, and can end up living for 6-8 years, as opposed to the usually 6 months - 2 years.

Diet

The larvae of the stags eat rotting fruits and veggies, which make them easy to feed as they can be fed the leftover food from the miinu after it's gone bad. However, when they become adults they will start requiring fresh food, so they are often left to graze in trees or human gardens.

Raising and Care

Stag bulls are usually raised from eggs. A female will lay about a few dozen eggs, but most of them will not be hatched. Farmers will take only a small portion to raise, and the rest will be eaten for food. Newly hatched stag bull larvae have to be raised underground or inside a dark shelter, and given space dirt to burrow in. Usually larvae stables are built with dirt pits so the larvae can dig without the risk of them escaping.
The grubs are fed a consistent diet to make sure they grow strong and healthy. The grubs at their largest can be tricky to deal with, as they are very big and feisty. Thankfully, grubs only take a few months to grow and metamorphize into adults.
The adults are moved to a new pen that's designed for their larger size. The females are usually kept to lay more eggs, and be used as meat once they are no longer fertile, and the males are put to work or sold to other miinu in need of them.

Life as a Work Animal

Stag bulls are usually used to pull heavy equipment or wagons. They're sturdy bodies and large horns make them perfect for pulling things. Equipment will usually be hooked around the hook-like back horn on their heads, while the front horn is perfect for clearing paths ahead and warding off animals or thieves. The beetles can also be ridden like horses, though this is not ideal as they are not very fast.

Parent Species

Rhinoceros Beetles

Geographic Distribution

Bituin

Scientific Name

​Allomyrina dichotoma familiaris

Lifespan

6 - 8 years

Average Weight

45g

Average Length

15 - 17cm

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Varies; Usually patterned with bright colors.