The real live stag beetles, with their powerful front mandibles, are particularly suited to exciting insect fights and a large one might even set you back as much as ?7,500 from an . There are many Web sites devoted to insect fights, such as in English and in Japanese.

Those worried about animal cruelty should note that the end of a stag beetle fight is usually signaled when a beetle is flipped on his back or pushed out of the fighting arena. Only male beetles fight and can be encouraged to do so by a specially built machine that emits the mating call of a female beetle.

While the plastic miniaturized version may not be able to be a contender in a tournament, its owner will have the satisfaction in knowing that it¡¯ll be around a little longer than its live counterpart which, once hatched into an adult, rarely survives beyond the summer months.