Fauna
Insect · GBIF taxon 4993389

Phyllophaga rugosa

Phyllophaga rugosa

Also known as Rugose May Beetle, Wrinkled June Bug

Rugose June beetles emerge en masse on warm late spring and early summer evenings, clumsily buzzing toward artificial porch lights and window screens. Beneath the surface, their stout C-shaped larvae spend years subterraneanly grazing on the fibrous roots of grasses, deciduous seedlings, and prairie plants. Adults feed high in forest canopies on broadleaf foliage, mating before females burrow back into undisturbed turf to deposit clutches of eggs.

NocturnalBurrowingForest
Phyllophaga rugosa reference
Licensed referenceCoveredinsevindust at English Wikipedia / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & prey
  • Oak Foliage
  • Grass Roots
  • Birch Foliage
Predators
  • Eastern Screech-Owl
  • Striped Skunk
  • Big Brown Bat
ThreatsWidespread turf pesticides, synthetic lawn treatments, and habitat fragmentation.
HabitatsDeciduous woodlands, savannas, meadows, pastures, and suburban turf.
Life span2–3 years (mostly spent in the subterranean larval stage; adults live several weeks).
Classification
  1. OrderColeoptera
  2. FamilyScarabaeidae
  3. GenusPhyllophaga
  4. SpeciesPhyllophaga rugosa
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
  • Attracting to Light: Hang a white sheet illuminated by a blacklight after sunset to observe their flight and morphology up close.
  • Gentle Release: Turn porch lights off if disoriented beetles repeatedly collide with doors or outdoor fixtures.
Related species
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