# Cockchafers (*Melolontha*) Cockchafers are big, brown beetles that come out in the spring. They love to fly around at night and can be found in gardens and fields. Their larvae, called grubs, live in the soil and help the earth stay healthy. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Grasslands, Gardens - **Also known as:** May Bug ![Cockchafers](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Maybug.jpg&width=800) Photo: CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Maybug.jpg) ## Appearance The Cockchafer has a robust, oval body, typically reddish-brown with a distinct black head and pronotum. Its ridged wing cases cover delicate flight wings, and males feature prominent fan-like antennae, making it visually distinct from smaller scarab beetles. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Coleoptera - **Family:** Scarabaeidae - **Genus:** Melolontha ## Interesting facts - Adult cockchafers only live for about 5-6 weeks, just long enough to mate and lay eggs. - Every few years, there's a "Cockchafer year" where thousands emerge all at once! - Males have special fan-like antennae they use to "smell" females from far away. - They spend up to five years as a grub underground before becoming an adult beetle! ## Special abilities - **Root Grubbing Power:** Cockchafer larvae can spend years underground munching on roots, helping them store energy for their big transformation into an adult beetle. - **Night-Time Navigators:** Cockchafers can fly through the evening sky, guided by special sensors on their antennae that help them find mates and food in the dark. - **Antennae Radar:** Male Cockchafers have fan-like antennae that act like radar, helping them sniff out female pheromones from far away to find a partner. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 45-60 mm - **Size:** 25-30 mm - **Lifespan:** 30-45 days - **Flight Speed:** 9 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Adults munch on tree leaves and flowers, while their grubs feast on plant roots underground! - **Age differences:** Larvae (grubs) eat roots underground, while adults feed on leaves and flowers of trees and shrubs. - **Primary Foods:** Oak leaves, Beech leaves, Fruit tree leaves, Grass roots, Clover - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Common Pipistrelle (*Pipistrellus pipistrellus*) — Bats hunt adult cockchafers during their evening flights. - **Eaten by:** [European Hedgehog](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-hedgehog) (*Erinaceus europaeus*) — Hedgehogs find and eat cockchafer grubs and adults. - **Eats:** Pedunculate Oak (*Quercus robur*) — Adult cockchafers feed on the leaves of oak trees. - **Eats:** [European Beech](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-beech) (*Fagus sylvatica*) — Adults also consume the foliage of beech trees. ## Traits - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Decomposer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/decomposer): Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Giant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/giant): Giant describes organisms or objects of significantly larger size than average for their species or type. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. - [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Cockchafers are not dangerous, but it's best to watch them from a distance. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Cockchafers? Look for hard wing covers meeting in a line down the back, then compare the antennae, body shape, legs and markings. Metallic colors shift a lot with lighting. Beetle Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Cockchafers's wingspan? 45-60 mm ### How big is Cockchafers? 25-30 mm ### How long does Cockchafers live? 30-45 days ### How fast can Cockchafers fly? 9 km/h ### What does Cockchafers eat? Adults munch on tree leaves and flowers, while their grubs feast on plant roots underground! ### Where is Cockchafers usually found? Grasslands, Gardens ### How does Cockchafers hunt? Foraging ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Cockchafers: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cockchafers)