SLO
Rogač (lat. Lucanus cervus) je največji evropski hrošč črno-rjave barve iz družine rogačev. Odrasle živali dosežejo od 25 do 85 mm dolžine. Ime je dobil po ogromnih čeljustih samcev, ki izgledajo kot jelenji rogovi (lat. cervus = jelen).
Kljub grozečem videzu so čeljusti samcev preslabotne, da bi bile nevarne. Uporabljajo jih za ritualizirane borbe za teritorij in za osvajanje samic. Aktivni so v mraku v pomladnih mesecih, takrat z zamolklim brenčanjem letajo naokrog in iščejo samice. Te so manjše od samcev in imajo precej manjše a močnejše čeljusti, s katerimi lahko krepko uščipnejo, če jih dražimo.
Razvoj rogača od jajčeca do hrošča traja do pet let. Samice odložijo jajčeca v prst ob korenine in debla dreves. Ličinke se več let razvijajo v trohnečem lesu listavcev. So zavite črvaste oblike, imajo mehko prosojno telo kremne barve in v sprednjem delu šest oranžnih nog ter značilno oranžno glavo z močnimi čeljustmi in so slepe. Jeseni v zadnjem letu se ličinke preobrazijo in odrasli samci ali samice v bubi počakajo do pozne pomladi, ko se pregrizejo iz kamrice v tleh in odletijo. Odrasli hrošči živijo le še mesec ali dva, da poskrbijo za nov zarod. Odrasli se prehranjujejo z rastlinskimi sokovi, do katerih pridejo tako, da s čeljustmi zarežejo v lubje.
Zaradi odstranjevanja odmrlih dreves po gozdovih, s katerimi se hrani, prihaja do krčenja rogačevega habitata, zaradi česar je ogrožen. Zaščiten je po evropski Direktivi o habitatih. V naravnem krajinskem parku Tivoli, Rožnik in Šišenski hrib živi na njegovem robu. Mesto Ljubljana je ena redkih evropskih prestolnic, kjer je še vedno dovolj starih debelih dreves.
Kešek je postavljen blizu informacijske točke, kjer se nahaja velik model hrošča, izdelan iz recikliranega hrastovega lesa in starega železa. Meri 1,7 metra v dolžino in tehta približno 70 kilogramov, pritrjen je na eno od posušenih dreves.
ENG
Lucanus cervus, the European stag beetle, is one of the best-known species of stag beetle (family Lucanidae) in Western Europe. Males have enlarged mandibles and are larger than the females. Although the male's mandibles seem threatening, they are too weak to be harmful. Nevertheless, females can inflict a painful bite. The resemblance of the male's mandibles to the antlers of a stag, and their use in combat between males, much like with deer, gives the species its scientific and common names. Adult size varies between different areas of its distribution and ranges from 25 to 85 mm.
Adults appear during late May to the beginning of August, being most active in the evenings. Females lay their eggs in a piece of decaying wood deep in the soil. Stag beetle larvae, which are blind and shaped like a letter "C", feed on rotting wood in a variety of places, tree stumps, old trees and shrubs, rotting fence posts, compost heaps, and leaf mould. The larvae have a cream-coloured, soft, transparent body with six orange legs, and an orange head which is very distinct from the very sharp brown pincers.
The larvae go through several stages, taking up to five years to become pupae. The pupae of the stag beetle live in the soil for about 3 months, then emerge in summer to awkwardly fly off to mate. Adults only live for a few weeks, feeding on nectar and tree sap.
Lucanus cervus is registered in the Habitats Directive of the European Union from 1992, which requires that member states set aside special areas of conservation. The city of Ljubljana is one of the few European capitals with preserved large decaying trees, which make a habitat for the stag beetle at the outskirts of the protected natural park Tivoli, Rožnik in Šišenski hrib.
The geocache is located near the information site with a large model of the beetle, made of recycled oak wood and recycled iron. It is 1.7 m in height (5.5 ft) and weighs about 70 kg. It is attached to one of the dried trees.
