May Beetles (June Bugs) (2024)

May beetles, or June bugs, are usually brown, rusty, or black, without patterns such as spots or stripes, and rather hairy beneath. They are nocturnal and are attracted to lights at night. They walk and fly clumsily.

May beetles belong to a large family of beetles called scarabs. As with other scarabs, they are oval, stout, and have clubbed antennae with segments that can press tightly together or can be fanned open like a feather.

The larvae of most scarab beetles are whitish, C-shaped grubs that live underground. The heads are often brownish, and they have three pairs of legs. They are often called “white grubs.”