How to identify and get rid of June beetles

Imagine a nice, cozy evening on the porch. It’s late May or early June, and you’ve settled in for a quiet evening with the porch light glowing behind you. All that goes out the window as clumsy, buzzing beetles smash into you, the porch light, your screen door, and any other surface that stands in their way.

June and May beetles are best known for their drunken flight patterns and seasonal appearances that can interrupt our evening plans. There are several species of June and May beetles that all belong to the Scarab family of beetles.

However, they are more than nuisances that buzz around our doors and windows. Their larvae, or grubs, can be serious pests in our gardens and lawns, and if your door is left open, the adults will invite themselves in for a look at all your light fixtures.

With just a few simple strategies, you can keep June and May beetles outside and hopefully make it to July without any problems.

June beetles are easy to spot thanks to their size and robust, oval bodies. They come in shades of green, brown, or reddish-brown and have a hard exoskeleton with distinctive hardened front wings covering the flying wings underneath. You might hear them at night before you see them, as they are attracted to lights and often bump into windows or doors.

Signs of infestation include the appearance of these beetles in large numbers, damaged leaves, and brown patches in the lawn where the larvae, known as grubs, feed on grass roots.

How big are June beetles?

They range from 1/2 inch to 1 inch in length.

What other pest looks like June beetles?

Japanese beetles are a type of scarab beetle that looks very similar to June and May beetles. They are smaller than Green June Beetles and have white tufts of hair around their abdomen. When they land, they lift their back two legs. June and May beetles don’t show this kind of behavior.

June beetles are found across the United States, particularly prevalent in the Midwest and Eastern regions. They are attracted to lights as adults and live underground as grubs, feeding on plant roots.

June and May beetles are a seasonal problem that don’t usually cause too many issues. They are native species that typically have stable populations due to predators and diseases. However, population numbers may get out of hand under the right conditions.

Handpicking or row covers often work best if you want to protect your landscape plants or garden. You can collect beetles in the early morning or late evening when they are less active. Just drop them in a bucket of soapy water.

Proper fertilization and watering can keep your lawn healthy enough to withstand white grub damage. Also, encourage natural predators like birds and wasps to feed on these beetles. You can do this by building birdhouses, planting flowering plants, and leaving natural habitats for predators to live.

If you want to keep June beetles out of your home and away from your lawn, consider a solution like the one Pestie offers. Our DIY solution gives you the same tools the pros use but at a fraction of the price.