It is a large wasp about seven centimetres long that primarily reproduces asexually, and is found from northern Argentina to southern Canada.
Pelecinus polyturator uses its long ovipositor to lay its eggs into white grubs, which eat and kill their host after hatching. Much of the discussion around entomophagy eating insects in North America is centred on industrially reared insects like crickets and mealworms. Wild-foraging insects can also play an important role in supplying insects for human consumption, as is the case with June bugs.
Historically, the Bear River people in northwestern California ate fire-roasted June bugs. Today, many people collect adult June bugs from lights or dig larvae from the soil for recipes.
If you come across an adult June bug this spring, maybe give it a closer look. This chunky insect could very well be older than any of the babies and toddlers in your life. If you squish it under your foot, you might be saving your lawn from the wrath of hungry white grubs, but you also might be robbing a barred owl , a pelecinid wasp, or your neighbour of a protein-rich morsel.
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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The editors reserve the right to post, or not to post comments, edit or not edit, at their discretion. Dalhousie University. Dal News. Most Commented. Comments Print. June bugs can be serious pests of ornamental and agricultural plants, lawns and golf courses, or they can be a crunchy snack for a bird — or human. However, one thing they have in common is that they seem to appear out of nowhere and disappear just as quickly at the end of the summer.
Learning more about the life cycle of June bugs, as well as their eating and mating habits, makes it easier to understand where they come from, why they stay awhile and where they go. June bugs begin their life cycle as eggs. These eggs are most commonly laid between two and five inches underground near the root systems of plants or grasses.
These are white, with a thin, flexible outer shell. They start out as an oblong shape, but become more round as the larvae inside develops. Depending on the species, June bugs stay in their eggs for anywhere between two and six weeks. June bug larvae are small white grubs with brown heads. They grow exponentially and molt twice before moving on to the next stage of their life cycle.
The larval stage is when June bugs are the most harmful to lawns and gardens. As a plant-driven species, they are primarily attracted to the vegetation in your backyard. Adult June bugs eat tree and shrub leaves, while infants known as grubs live in soil and feed off the roots of plants, including grass. This can cause unsightly damage to your backyard, not to mention the predators they attract, including parasitic wasps , snakes, tarantulas, skunks, and moles.
You may notice holes in the leaves of your shrubs or trees, indicating adult June bugs have been snacking on them. Or, if your yard has brown patches, June bug larvae may be living in the soil. Finally, do you have a problem with animals like moles or skunks digging holes in your lawn?
They feed on the grubs and may be trying to get to them during the night. The best way to confirm if you have a June bug beetle problem is to dig up a small patch of brown or dead grass and look for the grayish-white grubs underneath. These grubs remain near the soil surface until fall, so spray the surface of your grass with an insecticide at the beginning of September to target them.
With the grubs taken care of, you can now target the adult June bugs to prevent them from laying more eggs. To attract them, set up a trap using a large jar full of one-half cup of molasses and one-half cup of hot water.
Shake together, then bury the trap near a shrub they enjoy eating so only the opening is above the soil. This essentially drowns them once they fall in.
Check your syrupy trap and refill each morning. If all else fails, there are some strong insecticides on the market which kill adult June bugs. However, keep in mind that these insecticides will also kill other more beneficial insects in your garden. Along with the steps listed previously, there are also some natural, chemical-free home remedies to get rid of June bugs.
The most popular is a natural June bug repellent spray containing one tablespoon of mineral oil, one pint of water, one tablespoon of dish soap, and one whole garlic cut into cloves, then minced. The garlic acts as a deterrent to the beetles, as they hate the smell. Spray this directly on the June bugs or anywhere they may be frequenting, such as shrub leaves, to keep them away.
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