Insects crepuscular

Common Cockchafer

Melolontha melolontha

The Common Cockchafer is a springtime marvel, known for its bumbling flight and spectacular fan-like antennae. These 'Maybugs' are a sign that the garden is truly waking up for the season.

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Quick Identification

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Size

Adults typically measure 25–30 mm (0.98–1.18 inches) in length.

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Colors

Rusty-brown wing cases (elytra), a black thorax and head, and distinctive white triangular markings along the sides of the abdomen.

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Key Features

Large, fan-shaped antennae (lamellate)
Elongated, pointed 'tail' (pygidium) extending beyond the wing cases
Stiff, brown wing covers with fine longitudinal ridges

When You’ll See Them

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Activity pattern crepuscular

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Peak hours 8 PM – 11 PM

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Season May – June

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Diet Adults feed on the leaves of deciduous trees like oak, beech, and maple. Larvae live in the soil and eat the roots of grasses and garden plants.

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Habitat Found in suburban gardens, woodland edges, orchards, and meadows with loose soil.

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Behavior

Common Cockchafers, affectionately known as Maybugs, are famous for their clumsy and noisy flight during late spring evenings. They spend the vast majority of their life cycle—up to four years—underground as 'white grubs' feeding on roots. When they finally emerge as adults, they have only a few weeks to find a mate and reproduce, leading to a frantic and highly visible period of activity.

These beetles are strongly phototactic, meaning they are drawn toward artificial light sources. In the garden, they are often heard before they are seen, creating a loud, low-pitched hum as they fly. Because they are heavy-bodied and somewhat aerodynamic-challenged, they frequently bump into windows, walls, and people, which can be startling but is entirely harmless as they do not bite or sting.

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Camera Tips

To capture the Common Cockchafer on your backyard camera, you need to leverage their attraction to light. Position your camera near an outdoor light source or a lit window where they are likely to congregate. If your camera allows for manual focal adjustments, set it to a close-up or macro range, as these beetles are relatively small compared to mammals. A high-contrast background, like a light-colored garden wall or a white sheet draped over a fence, can help the beetle's brown and black features pop in the footage.

Because cockchafers are most active at dusk, ensure your camera’s night vision or infrared sensors are ready to trigger. They move in erratic, bumbling bursts, so setting your camera to record short video clips (10–15 seconds) is much more effective than capturing still photos. This allows you to see their unique fan-like antennae in motion and hear the characteristic buzz that defines their flight. Set your motion sensitivity to a high level, as insects may not always trigger sensors designed for larger animals.

Timing is everything with this species. They are rarely seen outside of their namesake month. Monitor the weather for warm, humid evenings in May following a day of light rain; these are the peak 'emergence' nights. If you have fruit trees or oaks in your yard, aim your camera toward the lower canopy or the trunk, as females will often climb these structures to feed and mate before returning to the soil to lay eggs.

Similar Species

Species that look similar or are commonly confused with Common Cockchafer.

Forest Cockchafer

Slightly smaller with a shorter, knob-tipped tail (pygidium) compared to the Common Cockchafer's long, tapered point.

Summer Chafer

Smaller and much hairier than the Common Cockchafer, appearing later in the year (June and July).

Rose Chafer

Easily distinguished by its metallic bright green color, whereas the Common Cockchafer is primarily brown and black.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common Cockchafers are crepuscular, meaning they are most active during the twilight hours of dusk. You will typically see them flying from about 30 minutes after sunset until late evening.

The easiest way to attract them is by leaving an outdoor light on during May and June. They are also drawn to gardens with deciduous trees like oaks and fruit trees, as well as healthy lawns where they can lay their eggs.

Adult Common Cockchafers eat the leaves of deciduous trees and shrubs. The larvae, known as white grubs, live underground for several years and feed on the roots of grasses and agricultural crops.

Yes, they are very common in suburban environments, especially in areas with a mix of lawns and mature trees. They are well-adapted to garden life, though their numbers can fluctuate significantly from year to year.

The easiest way to distinguish them is by looking at the pygidium (the pointed tail end). In the Common Cockchafer, this tail is long and tapers gradually to a point, whereas in the Forest Cockchafer, it is shorter and ends in a small knob.

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