The Stag Beetle on the Gates of Kharkiv’s Gorky Park (Now Central Park)

If you have never seen a stag beetle in real life, you could easily walk past without noticing that one decorates the gates of Kharkiv’s Gorky Park — now called Central Park. The gates with the beetle are on the side closer to the Naukova metro station.

It’s a beautiful beetle, you could even call it elite: it is said to bring good luck, and it looks just right on the park gates.

What is a stag beetle?

The stag beetle (Lucanus cervus) is the largest beetle in Europe. Its “antlers” are huge upper jaws that males use to fight over females. The species is listed in the Red Data Book of Ukraine and protected in many European countries, because its larvae need old oaks and rotting stumps, and those are becoming rare.

More about it in my post “Stag Beetle: Photos and Interesting Facts”.

How I remember the park

When I took this photo in September 2015, the weather was great and the park had a lovely atmosphere: lots of people walking, roller-skating, riding scooters and bikes, kids playing football on a special pitch, parents strolling with their little ones.

Thanks to the city for this little wonder of ours :-). I hope Kharkiv’s parks will be just as peaceful again very soon.