June bugs are a type of beetle in quite a wide variety. The word ‘June bug’ refers to any of about 100 species of beetles in the family of scarabs. They are of the genus Phyllophaga and the order Coleoptera. Another common name for the June bug is either ‘June beetle’ or ‘May beetle.’ The common June bug measures between one-half and five-eighths of an inch, and its color is reddish-brown. As with every other beetle, it also has shiny wing covers, which are called ‘elytra.’ June bugs can cause damage to gardens, lawns, and pastures, but can generally be controlled with prescribed pesticides. June bugs are regarded as chafers because they feed on vegetation, particularly leaves. The diet of a June bug can further comprise grass, flowers, fruit, and food crops such as grains. They are also known to consume decaying organic material as part of their diet. It is this leaf-eating characteristic that is responsible for their scientific name ‘Phyllophaga,’ which is the Greek expression for ‘leaf eater.’ June bugs are nocturnal, meaning that they are typically most active after nightfall and before dawn. They usually feed from dusk through the evening, to avoid predators. June bugs are so-called because their adults emerge from the soil at the end of spring or the beginning of the summer, which is in June.
The females bury their eggs just below the surface of the soil. June bug larvae typically hatch within three to four weeks and then feed on grass and plant roots from their formative months and for as long as three years. In spring and early summer, the larvae grow into pupae and mature into adults in a space of three weeks.
Adult June bugs are generally harmless. But their attraction to light makes them a nuisance to humans. Even light from inside the home can attract June bugs in large numbers. The sound of June bugs bumping and buzzing against window screens is closely associated with summer in many parts of the United States. Scientists and researchers have yet to come up with an explanation for this particular behavior, and although several hypotheses have been advanced, no single theory can account for any reason for which different nocturnal insect species gravitate toward sources of illumination.
Resource: https://nationaltoday.com/june-bug-day/
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