There is no frost in the ground to hinder their arrival and the larva of the June bug has begun its destruction of our lawns. We will not see any adults until May but until then the white grubs which are the larva of the June bug will be feeding on the roots of our lawn grasses.
June bug, is a common name for any of several beetles in the scarab family, they are also called June beetles. Actually June bugs are not bugs at all but beetles and there are 100 North American species all of which like the underground parts of any vegetation. There are several imports from other countries as well and they are just as destructive as our native species. Some cause more devastation because they do not have any natural enemies.
The female June bug lays her eggs in the ground where they hatch within a few weeks. The larvae burrow down below the frost line for the winter and return to just below the surface for the summer months and feed on plant roots.
The larvae, known to horticulturalists as white grubs, are white, fat and C-shaped. They burrow in the soil, feed on the roots of plants and damage lawns, pastures and grain crops. The larval stage continues to develop in the ground for two or three years before emerging as an adult. It is these tender morsels that the raccoons and skunks are looking for when they dig up our lawns. I have seen squirrels and chipmunks enjoying them as well.
In summers when there is a large infestation of the grubs the skunks and raccoons will turn over large areas of sod in their search for them. It is difficult to tell which does the most damage, the grubs or the animals searching for them. I am sure we could do without both.
The large brown adult beetles are attracted to lights during May and much of June. They belong to a family of beetles that includes Tumblebugs, Dung Beetles, Rhinoceros Beetles, Hercules Beetles and Elephant Beetles; the family is large in more ways than one.
We are most familiar with the June bug, the brown one we see below our night-lights or climbing up the outside walls of our homes. The adult June bug is about one inch (25mm) in length, brown in colour and has two sets of wings. The front set is hard and used to protect the delicate hind wings, which are used for flying. When the beetle lands it folds the hind wings gently into place and then covers them with the front wings, somewhat like closing the barn doors.
The adult June bugs are just as destructive as the grubs. They feed on flowers and the foliage of various trees and shrubs and are capable of completely defoliating them. The leaves will often return but they are much smaller than the first growth. On rare occasions the leaves do not return until the following spring. Damage to the bark can also take place and other diseases will attack the trees. When these conditions occur the trees will loose lose a year’s growth or they may die.
Speaking of Nature.
Jim Ferguson, 5313 River Road, R.R.5, Renfrew, Ontario K7V 3Z8 Phone 432-2738 Email jamesh@nrtco.net
June bug, is a common name for any of several beetles in the scarab family, they are also called June beetles. Actually June bugs are not bugs at all but beetles and there are 100 North American species all of which like the underground parts of any vegetation. There are several imports from other countries as well and they are just as destructive as our native species. Some cause more devastation because they do not have any natural enemies.
The female June bug lays her eggs in the ground where they hatch within a few weeks. The larvae burrow down below the frost line for the winter and return to just below the surface for the summer months and feed on plant roots.
The larvae, known to horticulturalists as white grubs, are white, fat and C-shaped. They burrow in the soil, feed on the roots of plants and damage lawns, pastures and grain crops. The larval stage continues to develop in the ground for two or three years before emerging as an adult. It is these tender morsels that the raccoons and skunks are looking for when they dig up our lawns. I have seen squirrels and chipmunks enjoying them as well.
In summers when there is a large infestation of the grubs the skunks and raccoons will turn over large areas of sod in their search for them. It is difficult to tell which does the most damage, the grubs or the animals searching for them. I am sure we could do without both.
The large brown adult beetles are attracted to lights during May and much of June. They belong to a family of beetles that includes Tumblebugs, Dung Beetles, Rhinoceros Beetles, Hercules Beetles and Elephant Beetles; the family is large in more ways than one.
We are most familiar with the June bug, the brown one we see below our night-lights or climbing up the outside walls of our homes. The adult June bug is about one inch (25mm) in length, brown in colour and has two sets of wings. The front set is hard and used to protect the delicate hind wings, which are used for flying. When the beetle lands it folds the hind wings gently into place and then covers them with the front wings, somewhat like closing the barn doors.
The adult June bugs are just as destructive as the grubs. They feed on flowers and the foliage of various trees and shrubs and are capable of completely defoliating them. The leaves will often return but they are much smaller than the first growth. On rare occasions the leaves do not return until the following spring. Damage to the bark can also take place and other diseases will attack the trees. When these conditions occur the trees will loose lose a year’s growth or they may die.
Speaking of Nature.
Jim Ferguson, 5313 River Road, R.R.5, Renfrew, Ontario K7V 3Z8 Phone 432-2738 Email jamesh@nrtco.net
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