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The Green June Beetle is a rather large colorful scarab beetle. Adults are about one inch in length. They are flattened on top and somewhat wide in the “shoulders.” From above they appear dull velvety-green and yellow-brown. Their sides and under parts are brightly colored with metallic bronze, green and yellow-brown.
There are two species of Green June Beetles. One is found from the Great Lakes area, south to the Gulf of Mexico. The other in found in the South, from Texas to California. This Southern species is often called the Fig Beetle.
Adults are attracted to fermenting juice and they feed on fruit damaged by birds and other insects. They are commonly found feeding on over-ripe fruit such as figs, peaches, plums, grapes, and pears. Large numbers may be found feeding in clusters on a single decaying fruit. They will also feed on the foliage of numerous trees such as pecan and peach.
The females of these Scarab beetles are attracted to and lay their eggs in areas of high organic matter, such as piles of decomposing plant material and manure.
The larvae are creamy-white and have a prominent brown head. They are C-shaped and when full grown are about two inches long. When moving about on the surface of the ground the larvae crawl along slowly on their backs. The larvae feed predominately on decaying plant material but opportunistically feed on live plant roots. They can damage plants by digging up the soil, causing the roots to dry out.
Green June Beetles spend the winter as larvae, deep in the soil. Adults emerge from the ground from June to August. They have only one generation each year.