What does a May bug look like?

This familiar beetle has a black thorax, rusty brown elytra (wing cases) and brown legs. It has characteristic antennae that fan out. You can often see cockchafers on May evenings buzzing around the garden, which is why they are often known as the ‘May bug’.

Do May bugs bite?

So, when you next see a May bug, doodlebug, chovy or Billy witch, remember – however alarming it may look, it isn’t a cockroach, it isn’t going to sting you, and while it may do some damage to your garden, it won’t harm you.

Where do may bugs come from?

Where do they live? Adult Cockchafers are found on and around trees and shrubs in gardens, parks, field hedgerows and woodland margins, feeding on leaves and flowers. The larvae, sometimes called rookworms, live in the soil and eat the roots of vegetables and grasses.

Are May bugs a pest?

Despite a rather formidable appearance, the May bug is harmless and is only a minor agricultural/amenity pest.

What are May bugs attracted to?

light
They fly at dusk on warm evenings, making a noisy hum, and are attracted to light. ‘They sometimes mistake chimney stacks for tree tops and occasionally fall down chimneys into open fireplaces,’ says Hine. ‘Then after dark, they are attracted to light and can get caught in lamp shades.

Are May beetles rare?

These beetles are sometimes found when you are planting trees or tilling the soil in the fall and spring. As their name indicates, they emerge in May and are quite common, being strongly attracted to lights at night.

Are May bugs related to cockroaches?

The May bug. Latin name Melolontha melolontha – known as the Common Cockchafer. When you next see a May bug just remember however alarming it may look, it isn’t a cockroach, it isn’t going to sting you or bite you, and while it may do some damage to your garden, it won’t harm you.

What is mayflies lifespan?

Mayflies spend most of their lives in the water as nymphs and then emerge as adults for only a short while. Adults will live only a day or so, but the aquatic larvae lives for about a year. Their status is unknown. There are more than 600 species of mayfly in the United States and 3,000 worldwide.

How long does a May bug live for?

Adult cockchafers only live for about 5 or 6 weeks. During that time, they look for a mate and fly into the tree tops to feed on leaves. They fly at dusk on warm evenings, making a noisy hum, and are attracted to light.

Are May beetles and June bugs the same thing?

June beetle, (genus Phyllophaga), also called May beetle or June bug, genus of nearly 300 species of beetles belonging to the widely distributed plant-eating subfamily Melolonthinae (family Scarabaeidae, order Coleoptera).

How do I get rid of cockchafers?

The best way to control the curl grubs is to use organic control methods.

  1. You can pour a mixture of water and biodegradable detergent on the affected areas in the garden.
  2. You can keep the lawns well watered during spring and summer so that the adult beetles will not be able to lay eggs on your lawns.

What does a mayfly turn into?

Mayflies are said to have been around before dinosaurs. After more than 350 million years of evolution, they have perfected the art of life. They start as an egg, turn into a naiad, emerge from the water, fully mature into adults to reproduce, and then start a family of at least 400.