June Bug

"June bug" or "May beetle" is the common name applied to more than 260 North American species in the genus Phyllophaga, family Scarabaeidae, order Coleoptera. They are large, robust, nocturnal scarabs that emerge in late spring, giving rise to their common name.

The group is notable for its clumsy, heavy flight and strong attraction to artificial lights, a behavior that makes June bugs one of the most familiar insects of warm-weather evenings across much of North America.

The larval stage — large white grubs living in soil — is ecologically and economically significant, feeding on the roots of grasses and other plants and serving as an important food source for burrowing and insectivorous animals.

• Oval, robust, glossy body, typically reddish-brown to nearly black
• Clubbed antennae and spiny legs adapted for digging
• Body length roughly 12–25 mm, noticeably larger and more uniform in color than the Japanese beetle
• Nocturnal and clumsy in flight, often colliding with windows, screens, and lights
• Distinguished from the Japanese beetle by its larger size, lack of metallic green coloring, and absence of white abdominal hair tufts

Found throughout North America. Adults emerge from the soil in late spring into early summer and are strictly nocturnal, resting in trees and shrubs by day. Larvae (white grubs) live in soil beneath lawns, pastures, and gardens, feeding on roots.

Adults fly at night and are strongly attracted to artificial light sources, often bumping into windows or lights in an erratic, clumsy pattern. They feed on the foliage of trees and shrubs after dark. The underground larval stage feeds on grass and plant roots for one to several years depending on the species, and grubs are heavily preyed upon by skunks, moles, and ground-foraging birds.

Complete metamorphosis. Eggs are laid in soil, and the grub stage may last one to three years depending on the species, with larvae overwintering below the frost line in colder regions. Pupation occurs in the soil, and adults emerge in late spring to early summer, giving most species a multi-year generation time.