Overview

• A young woman in Wetzlar reported a scorpion-like creature on her balcony, prompting a police response.
• Patrol officers identified the black, antler-mandibled insect as a stag beetle, not a scorpion.
• Stag beetles are the largest beetle species in Central Europe and can grow up to nine centimeters long.
• The officers carefully captured the beetle and released it unharmed into its natural environment.
• Despite their intimidating appearance, stag beetles are neither poisonous nor dangerous to humans.