a.k.a "June Bug" and "Ten-lined June Beetle"
Polyphylla decemlineata
1" male
As a kid, I would run screaming from these bugs. We had them all over our lawn and they would fly up in my
ears and my hair and they would hang around the porch lights so it was impossible to exit the door without being
bombarded. Icky! Now I realize it wasn't really their fault because our housing development was built on a
filled-in swamp. We had black widows galore, too!
I think everyone should be aware that June Bugs hiss--yes, hiss--like a cat. In fact my cat was watching a large June Bug crossing
our lawn one morning and I kept hearing a hissing sound and it wasn't coming from my cat. Even my cat got freaked out over it.
There are some humorous exchanges over this behavior on Bugguide.net.
I initially thought this June Bug was missing an antenna, but you can see that the other one is tucked
underneath him right between his two mandibles. You wouldn't think something so large could
tuck so easily. This blue-eyed beauty is a vegetarian. © Carol Davis, 7-8-2009
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