You will probably know at the first glance that this blog today is going to be about June bugs. A friend and I got talking about them last night and we both agree that the only good June bug is a dead June bug. I know, I know, even these revolting things appearing on earth have a purpose, but frankly, I don’t know if the June bug knows what its purpose is. I can tell it what it’s purpose ISN’T. It ISN’T to fly into my hair and get tangled up, and then make a terribly loud and raspy and buzzing “todo” because it can’t find it’s way out. In fact, it more often than not thinks the ear canal is a tunnel to freedom. Oh ICK!
So after Patsy and I had this discussion, I wondered just what the purpose of June bugs was. Here’s what I found from a little bit of research.
First, the technical stuff. This "June bug" is a member of the scarab beetle family. Scarabs are stout beetles with large heads and pronotums. Many scarabs have beautiful metallic colors. Neither Webster or Dorland knew what a pronotum was but Google did: "Dorsal surface of the prothorax.” (You yourself can take it from here if you are really interested in a pronotum; I’m not). These beetles are nocturnal, coming to lights in great numbers. The adults feed on foliage of trees and shrubs and may cause significant damage when emerging in large numbers.
More revolting in appearance is the larvae, and in my youth I saw a great many of these and had no idea that they were anything but some weird kind of worm. The larvae (called white grubs) feed on the roots of grasses and other plants. To test for the presence of these beetles, one can drench an area of lawn with water and the larvae will emerge at the surface.
The grubs sometimes attack vegetables and other garden plants. Injury to the roots and rootstock causes small saplings and tender tap-rooted plants like lettuce to wilt suddenly or to show stunted growth and a tendency to shed leaves prematurely. Plants growing in rows are usually attacked in succession as the grubs move along from one plant to the next. Grubs feed below ground for 3-4 years before changing into adult beetles.
I also learned that fish can’t resist grubs on a hook, so if you want to insure fish for dinner, go find yourself some of the white grubs lurking in your soil. Gross!
Now here is something you might find coming in handy if you ever run short of food on a picnic or a hike: A chemical analysis of the June bug revealed it is full of edible fats and proteins, the bug is a rich source of food and appetite stimulating medicine when prepared correctly. When toasted in hot ashes, the internal body parts and juices of the bug congeal into a nugget of pure golden nutrition. After peeling off shriveled legs, wings, and wing case, the remaining orb of nourishment can be eaten one at a time or by the handful. Toasted June bugs have a surprisingly sweet delightful taste. The flavor closely resembles thick raw molasses or crudely made ribbon cane syrup. It is difficult to eat just one. (OH YEAH?!)
So you can see that the dreadful June bug does have some plusses going for it, but only if you are of a mindset to consider them seriously. I simply cannot abide June bugs and almost hate Spring because of them. I do believe they can make their little bodies flat as tiny pancakes to enable them to slip in over the top or under the bottom of my screen door in that ever so miniscule space where the door sill and screen bottom meet. That space is so small that it doesn’t even let light shine through it, but a June bug can somehow manage to sneak through and torment me. I will be innocently sitting on the couch merrily reading away in the spring or summer evening and a damn (sorry!) June bug manages to get into my living room and tangle itself in my hair, making that horrendous buzzing noise as it gropes for my ear canal.
If left up to me, June bugs would probably need to be put on the endangered species list, because I am not above flushing them down the toilet. (I don’t step on them because the popping/cracking sound makes me shudder to just think of it.) Anyway, as far as I am concerned, the only good June bug is a dead June bug.
The grubs sometimes attack vegetables and other garden plants. Injury to the roots and rootstock causes small saplings and tender tap-rooted plants like lettuce to wilt suddenly or to show stunted growth and a tendency to shed leaves prematurely. Plants growing in rows are usually attacked in succession as the grubs move along from one plant to the next. Grubs feed below ground for 3-4 years before changing into adult beetles.
I also learned that fish can’t resist grubs on a hook, so if you want to insure fish for dinner, go find yourself some of the white grubs lurking in your soil. Gross!
Now here is something you might find coming in handy if you ever run short of food on a picnic or a hike: A chemical analysis of the June bug revealed it is full of edible fats and proteins, the bug is a rich source of food and appetite stimulating medicine when prepared correctly. When toasted in hot ashes, the internal body parts and juices of the bug congeal into a nugget of pure golden nutrition. After peeling off shriveled legs, wings, and wing case, the remaining orb of nourishment can be eaten one at a time or by the handful. Toasted June bugs have a surprisingly sweet delightful taste. The flavor closely resembles thick raw molasses or crudely made ribbon cane syrup. It is difficult to eat just one. (OH YEAH?!)
So you can see that the dreadful June bug does have some plusses going for it, but only if you are of a mindset to consider them seriously. I simply cannot abide June bugs and almost hate Spring because of them. I do believe they can make their little bodies flat as tiny pancakes to enable them to slip in over the top or under the bottom of my screen door in that ever so miniscule space where the door sill and screen bottom meet. That space is so small that it doesn’t even let light shine through it, but a June bug can somehow manage to sneak through and torment me. I will be innocently sitting on the couch merrily reading away in the spring or summer evening and a damn (sorry!) June bug manages to get into my living room and tangle itself in my hair, making that horrendous buzzing noise as it gropes for my ear canal.
If left up to me, June bugs would probably need to be put on the endangered species list, because I am not above flushing them down the toilet. (I don’t step on them because the popping/cracking sound makes me shudder to just think of it.) Anyway, as far as I am concerned, the only good June bug is a dead June bug.
2 comments:
that is quite interseting, for a while there i was sure that your 'june bug' was our christmas beetle. finally proven. yay.
and being a horticulturist-i can also agree that they are not good news. particularly when the larvae decide to chew on the roots of my bonsai. however i have never had a problem when they are beetles. i quite like the deep buzz they have. reminds me of summer.
I don't find anything about june bugs interesting. These little critters and the education before us is very revolting. I'm sure however, the television show "FEAR FACTOR" has had them presented to contestants to try. YUK!! It all turns my stomach. Mother I will think of your research from here on out!! :) So much for my dinner.
Post a Comment