What is June Beetle?
Adult June bugs emerge from the soil toward the end of spring or the beginning of summer, hence their name. The term "June bug" refers to any of the 100 beetle species that are linked to the scarabs seen in ancient Egyptian art. The June bug is sometimes known as the "June beetle" or "May beetle." June bugs range in size from half to five-eighths of an inch in length and are reddish-brown in hue. They have gleaming wing covering, known as elytra because they are beetles.
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The June Bug In Adult and Larva Stage
Nature of Living and Characteristic Features of June Beetle
Location and Population of June Bug- Beetles can be found in practically every ecosystem on the planet, with the exception of the icy polar areas. Beetles have the most sub-species of any insect, accounting for 40 per cent of all recognised insects. There are around 350,000 different species of well-known beetle, but scientists estimate that the true number is between 4 million and 8 million. The genus of the June beetle has around 300 species under its umbrella.
Anatomy- The head of the beetle, the thorax of the beetle, and the abdomen of the beetle are the three portions of the beetle's body that are all covered in the hard outer shell. Beetles also have antennae, which are made up of around ten different sections and are utilised to interpret the beetle's surroundings. June beetles have sparkling wing coverings and have a body length of 12 to 25 mm (0.5 to 1 inch) (elytra). At night, they feast on foliage and flowers, causing significant damage. June beetle larvae, often known as white grubs, are baby June bug that dwells in the soil and is roughly 25 mm which is about 1 inch long.
Life Cycle- Stage 1- Mating takes place in the early hours of the morning. A powerfully perfumed milky fluid released by the female attracts the male. After a few minutes of mating, the female returns to her burrow or crawls under matted grass. Following the mating ritual, the female will deposit between 60 and 75 eggs underground over the course of two weeks.
June Bug Eggs- When the eggs are originally laid, they are white and elliptical in shape, but as the larvae mature, they become more spherical. The eggs develop into little white grubs in around 18 days.
Stage 2- Larva Stage- The grubs are white with a brownish-black head and brown spiracles down the sides of the body and develop to be around 40 mm (1.6 in) long. Before winter, the larvae will moult twice. The colour of the fully grown larva is vitreous yellowish-white with a green or blue hue at the head and tail.
Stage 3- Pupil Stage- The larva's belly is covered in stiff ambulatory bristles that aid mobility. After the third larval stage, which lasts roughly nine months, pupation occurs. The pupal stage takes place inside an oval cocoon made of dirt particles held together by a viscid fluid secreted by the larva. When the pupa is originally created, it is white, but it gains greenish colours soon before emerging.
Stage 4- The Adult June Beetle- After 18 days of pupation, the adults begin to emerge in June. Adults range in length from 15–22 mm and that is around 0.6 to 0.9 inches and breadth from 12 mm which is 0.5 inches. The elytra's borders range from light brown to orange-yellow.
Eating Habits of the June Bug- Berries, grapes, peaches, nectarines, apples, pears, and figs are among the fruits that the adult beetle will eat. When the bug is in its larval stage, it is considered more dangerous than when it is a beetle. Adults are particularly drawn to decaying fruit, which commonly develops after sound fruit has been damaged. June's Mouthparts Beetles are chewable. Lawns become yellow and die when vast numbers of grubs are fed. Grass that has been severely injured might be rolled up like a carpet. Weed roots, vegetable transplants, and ornamental plants are also eaten by grubs.
They are significant pests of fodder, corn, sorghum, and sugarcane in agriculture. Large (third stage or instar) grubs feeding on roots in the fall and spring cause the most serious damage to plants. When tilling garden soil or sifting through the soil beneath injured turfgrass, white grubs are common. In the spring, there can be a lot of adults around the lights.
Flying Mechanism of May Beetle- Because of their wing structure, many beetles have difficulty flying. Most flying insects have two sets of wings, but beetles have elytra in the form of hardened forewings which is the June bug’s shell. A beetle must open its elytra to allow the wings underneath to move in order to fly, which can be a rather difficult way to fly. This arrangement also means that only one set of wings is actively working, while the other is resting. In addition, June bugs have a body that isn't particularly aerodynamic. In comparison to many other insects, June bugs are awkward. Despite their apparent awkwardness, they manage to thrive and reproduce in nature.
Death of the June Bug- If a bug is knocked onto its back, it can usually correct itself by rocking on its sides with its legs. If, on the other hand, the bug is unable to roll back onto its abdomen due to weakness or a malfunctioning neural system, it will remain trapped on its back. When an insect is trapped in this posture, it is not in a suitable position to absorb any kind of nutrition or protect itself from predators or the elements, and the May beetle dies quickly if it can't flip back over. The bug's neurological system is damaged, and its coordination is deteriorating, so it can't synchronise all of its legs to turn over onto its side and stand up again. An injury, as well as a shortage of food or water, might impair a bug's capacity to self-correct. It's also possible that the bug is nearing the conclusion of its life cycle, and its strength and coordination abilities are deteriorating.
Control and Pest of June Beetle- Ingesting chemicals and insecticides, such as bug spray, disturbs the neurotransmitters in the bug's nervous system and causes it to shut down. Most insecticides cause an insect to have convulsions, during which it kicks up its legs violently and frequently becomes stuck on its back. During the larval stage, one of the most effective controllers is utilised. Milky spore disease caused by Bacillus popilliae, which occurs naturally in some beetle larvae, can be used to control them. The USDA first created the milky spore treatment in the 1930s to attack the Japanese beetle, but it also works on the June bug and Oriental beetle. The first microbial product to be registered in the United States was milky spore therapy. [number four] After treatment, the milky spore begins to work wherever the larva is feeding. Milky spore disease can be controlled in two to three years in warm settings. Colder climates may necessitate more time. The soil is infected once a year for three to five years, and once established, the treatment lasts for ten years or more.
One may have a problem with ground-dwelling June bug larvae if you notice telltale indicators of a June insect infestation, such as dead areas of grass or damaged plants. Making the lawn unfriendly to June bug larvae is an efficient way to help control them. By overseeding thinned-out sections of the lawn, one may help keep it healthy.
Interesting Facts about Beetles
Beetles make up more than a third of all insects.
Beetles have two pairs of wings as adults.
Female beetles lay dozens or hundreds of eggs at a time.
The majority of beetles have a one-year lifespan.
Because beetles can't see well, they interact with each other using pheromones, sounds, or vibrations.
Some beetles aren't pests at all.
Ladybugs are beetles that are thought to bring good fortune in many cultures. Beetles are also known as "fireflies" and "lightning bugs."
They communicate by glowing in the dark.
In the United States, there are about 12,000 different types of beetles, with over 300,000 species worldwide. Beetles can live on land or in freshwater, and they can adapt to practically any situation. Beetles frequently live in the areas where they consume.
Beetles can be both harmful and beneficial to the ecosystem. Some beetle species devastate crops and property, while others assist in the removal of rubbish, the consumption of dead trees, and the pollination of flowers.
Beetles may appear to be little, yet they can protect themselves from predators in unexpected ways.
Some beetles produce acids that can cause skin and eye irritation.
The Bushman arrow-poison beetle is a highly deadly bug found in Africa.
This beetle's larvae are venomous enough to cause damage to humans.
Beetles from cooler, more tropical areas are often larger than those from considerably colder areas.
Some species will grow to barely 1/16 of an inch in length, which is extremely little!
Other species can reach a length of 6 inches, which is far longer than most people believe beetles can reach.
FAQs on June Beetle
Q.1) Are June Beetles Dangerous?
Answer. Humans and animals are absolutely unaffected by June Bugs. Bites, sickness, and stings aren't a problem because these pests don't cause any of them. Adult June Bugs are destructive to your trees, lawn, and other plants, which is bad news for proud yard owners.
Q.2) Is it Helpful to have June Bugs?
Answer. Both the larval and adult forms of June bugs cause damage to garden plants and grass. A nodule is a plant appendage that grows on the roots of ornamental plants and grass. This is the point source via which these plants get essential nutrients from the soil.
Q.3) Why Do June Bugs Perish When Exposed to Light?
Answer. June bugs are mostly harmless as adults. They can, however, make spending time on your porch or patio uncomfortable because they are attracted to light. Even inside light from your home can attract a significant number of June bugs. In many parts of the United States, the sound of June bugs bumping and buzzing against window screens is synonymous with summer. Your porch light or the light coming from your windows at night attracts them. June bugs have a hard time flying due to their large bodies. They become exhausted, fall, and die as they soar about your lights.
Q.4) What is the Best Way to Get Rid of June Bugs?
Answer. Bacillus thuringiensis, or Bt, is a microbe that infects and kills a variety of garden pests, including June bug grubs while remaining safe for humans and pets. Bt is often sold as a liquid concentration or a powder that can be sprayed or sprinkled directly on affected plants and turf.
Q.5) How to Differentiate a May Beetle from a Cicada?
Answer. In general, cicadas can be found in any region of the United States at least once a year. Massive outbreaks, on the other hand, occur near the end of particular broods' cyclical cycles, and they are regional in scope. Cicadas are the stuff of nightmares when it comes to looking. The exoskeleton of these huge house fly-shaped insects is sickly caramel-coloured, and their translucent wings have veins springing from them. In fact, because they both appear around the same time and are nearly the same size, it's easy to confuse a cicada with a June bug. Millions of cicadas die at the same moment in locations where there has been a large emergence of these insects and then fall to the ground which is not the same for the June Bug or May Beetle.
