Common Cockchafer, Maybug

The larvae of this beetle can be damaging to plants, such a strawberries, as they eat the roots causing the plant to wilt and if enough roots are eaten the plant will die. Some plants are preferable to others, I find they like Heuchera, if noticed (wilting or plant loose in the ground) the plant can be removed and the grubs dug out. They also live in lawns, these are more difficult to remove although I see birds eating them as they come close to the surface.

Larvae are curved in shape, soft bodied and white, with six legs at the front end with a brown shiny head. There is usually a dark patch internally at the rear.

They remain in the ground for 3 to 4 years, the mature grub is very large, 40-46mm. The mature beetle is 20-30mm in length. The larvae pupa... read morete in the ground usually in July, emerging as a beetle 5 or 6 weeks later but it remains in the ground until the following year. They fly in spring, mostly in May, hence the name Maybug.