Where is my Lucanid?

[Chuck]

Over the years, I've found that I've progressively been unable to stay up all night to watch the MV sheet, then unable to check it every hour, now finally it usually is alone from 11pm until 5am.

This of course means that the come-and-go visitors, those moths for example that bounce around the sheet and ground and leave, go uncaptured and unsurveyed. So last night I tried something that was suggested by another member for bucket traps: I put a pan of soapy water under the sheet.

At 10pm last night, in the pan was a Sphecodia abbotti. No problem, I figured, I'll just leave it there.

At 0530 there was also a female Lucanid.

I fished them both out, dead, and put them on a paper towel on the dining room table to dry out.

At 0830 I went down to get them to set them. Gone. Both.

Normally, I'd blame the cat. But there's a problem with this- the cat passed four weeks ago.

I found the abbotti buzzing around on the floor- after spending 7.5 hours in soapy water!

The Lucanid I cannot find. I hope I find it before my wife does.

[eurytides]

That’s impressive. I had no idea they could survive for so long like that. Good luck with the lucanid search!