June bugs, belonging to the scarab beetle family, are nocturnal creatures often identified by their distinctive buzzing flight and their noticeable presence around light sources after dusk. Many people wonder where these beetles go once the sun rises.
Daytime Retreats
June bugs seek shelter during daylight hours. This daily retreat is a strategy to avoid various threats, including predation from birds, bats, skunks, raccoons, and moles, which are more active during the day. Direct sunlight and high temperatures are also factors that June bugs avoid, as they prefer cooler, darker conditions.
During the day, these beetles often burrow into loose soil. They may also seek refuge under dense foliage, within leaf litter, or beneath garden debris. Some species even burrow into the ground during daylight hours, staying underground until evening. These protected environments provide safety and allow June bugs to conserve energy until night.
Nighttime Emergence
As evening approaches, June bugs emerge to become active. Their nocturnal schedule enables them to engage in feeding and mating. They are frequently observed flying around artificial lights, a behavior thought to be a navigational confusion where they mistake artificial light for natural celestial cues like the moon.
Adult June bugs feed on the foliage of trees, shrubs, and ornamental plants. They also consume grass, flowers, and fruits. Mating activities are prominent at night, with males often searching for females and congregating around light sources. This nighttime activity allows them to avoid many predators and take advantage of cooler temperatures more conducive to their foraging and reproductive efforts.
Understanding the June Bug Life Cycle
The life cycle of a June bug unfolds in four distinct stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Adult female June bugs lay their eggs in the soil, typically burying them a few inches deep, often between two to ten inches below the surface. A female can deposit between 60 to 75 eggs over a period of about two weeks, or even up to several hundred.
After approximately two to four weeks, the eggs hatch into larvae, commonly referred to as white grubs. These grubs live underground and feed on plant roots, including those of grasses, garden plants, and decaying organic matter. The larval stage is the longest, lasting from one to three years, and sometimes even up to four or five years, depending on the specific species and environmental conditions.
During colder months, the grubs burrow deeper into the soil to overwinter before returning closer to the surface in spring. Once the grubs mature, they enter the pupal stage, transforming into adult beetles while still underground. The adult June bugs emerge from the soil in late May or early June. The adult lifespan above ground is relatively short, typically lasting only one to two months.