June Bugs: Why They Bang Into Your Windows
Annoyed by clumsy June Bugs? The real problem is their larvae eating your grass roots. Learn the connection between June Bugs and lawn grubs.
It's late May. You are trying to sleep. THUNK. THUNK. BUZZZZ.
A reddish-brown beetle the size of a thumb is headbutting your window screen. It's the June Bug (or May Beetle).
Clumsy Idiots
June Bugs are terrible flyers. They are heavy, clumsy, and attracted to light. They aren't trying to break in; they are just confused by your porch light. They don't bite or sting. They are just annoying.
The Real Danger is Underground
The beetle is harmless. But its baby? That's a killer.
June Bug larvae are White Grubs. These C-shaped worms live under your lawn and eat grass roots.
If you have a lot of June Bugs banging on your windows in summer, expect dead patches of brown grass in the fall. Also, skunks and raccoons will dig up your yard to eat the grubs.
Treat the Grub, Not the Beetle
Spraying the adult beetles is pointless. There are too many.
To stop them, you need to apply a granular grub control (like Scott's GrubEx) to your lawn in early summer when the eggs hatch. No grubs = no beetles next year.