BEETLES

Ten-lined June Beetle, Polyphylla decemlineata

Order: Coleoptera (Beetles)

Size: Up to 1 1⁄2"

Habitat: Woodlands, fields, gardens

Range: Western United States

The Ten-lined June Beetle is a member of a large group known as the “scarab beetles,” all relatively large and robust with big heads, powerful front legs for digging, and curious, platelike antennae that can be fanned out or folded into a compact ball. It is mottled golden brown and black above, with distinct white lines along the shell-like forewings on the back and on the thorax. The underside is lined with fuzzy tan or reddish hairs. The larva is pale, grub-like, curved into a C shape, lives underground, and can be a serious pest where it feeds on the roots of plants or young trees. Adults are most active at night in warm weather, flying low over fields, and are attracted to lights.