May Bug "Melolontha melolontha"
The cockchafer or maybug is a large beetle that is often seen in May or June. They are strong fliers and, somewhat disconcertingly on summer evenings, they often fly around houses, sometimes crashing into lighted windows or entering rooms. They are not harmful but do seem to cause undue concern.
The adult beetle is about 3cm long; the head and thorax are blackish and covered with grey hairs while the rest of the body (the wing cases) is tan-coloured. The larvae, or grubs,
live in the soil feeding on the roots of grasses and other plants for up to four years. They are classically C-shaped, off white in colour with a brown head and a little over 3cm long when fully grown.
Ref:
Date: 10/05/2008
Location: Surrey, England
Photographer:
