This hand-colored mezzotint is from a series of prints Holly Downing has been doing featuring vanishing species, in this case, invertebrates. Each impression is printed in black and then hand-colored by the artist. There may be slight variations between impressions.
According to Downing, the Stag Beetle is one of the largest and most spectacular insects in the United Kingdom. The male Stag Beetle, with its huge antler-like mandibles, can be three inches long. These beetles live primarily underground, feeding their larvae on rotting wood. The are listed as endangered in the United Kingdom.