Common Cockchafer
ExploreInsects
Common Cockchafer
Melolontha melolontha
The Common Cockchafer is a big, brown beetle that comes out in spring. They fly around and can be seen buzzing in gardens and fields, making them a fun sight for kids!
Habitat: Grasslands
Appearance
The Common Cockchafer has a distinctive chunky, reddish-brown body with a shiny black head and thorax. It features fan-like antennae and a black triangular tip on its abdomen. Its hardened wing cases cover delicate flight wings, giving it a robust appearance different from many slender beetles.
KingdomAnimaliaPhylumArthropodaClassInsectaOrderColeopteraFamilyScarabaeidaeGenusMelolontha
Category
InsectsRarity
Common
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Snaps
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Interesting facts
A female cockchafer can lay up to 80 eggs underground during her short adult life!
Cockchafer grubs spend up to four years hidden underground before becoming an adult.
Once, common cockchafers were collected for food or used in children's games!
They use special chemical signals, called pheromones, to find mates in the dark.
Special abilities
Ability
Night Navigator
The Common Cockchafer can fly accurately at night because of its well-developed antennae that help them sense smells and navigate in the dark.
Ability
Root Muncher
The Common Cockchafer has larvae that can live underground for years, silently eating plant roots that helps them grow big before transforming.
Measurements & details
- Wingspan
- 50-60 mm
- Size
- 25-30 mm
- Lifespan
- 28-42 days
- Flight Speed
- 8 km/h
- Leg Count
- 6
Diet & Feeding
Adult cockchafers nibble leaves, while their grubs feast on plant roots underground.
Age differences: Larvae (grubs) eat roots of grasses and crops; adults primarily feed on tree leaves.
Primary Foods
- Oak leaves
- Beech leaves
- Fruit tree leaves
Foraging Method
- Foraging
Ecological connections
eats
English Oak
Quercus robur
Adults defoliate leaves, sometimes causing damage.
eats
European Green Woodpecker
Picus viridis
Hunts cockchafer larvae (grubs) from the ground.
eats
European Badger
Meles meles
Digs up and eats the large, nutritious cockchafer grubs.
eats
Potato
Solanum tuberosum
Larvae can damage the roots of potato plants.
Traits
Social
Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring.
Aerial
Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting.
Grassland
Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.
Herbivorous
This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
Diurnal
Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night.
Giant
Giant describes organisms or objects of significantly larger size than average for their species or type.
Pollinator
Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants.
Also known as
Cockchafer Beetle
Collections
Safety
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Cockchafers are not dangerous, but it's best to watch them from a distance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Common Cockchafer's wingspan?
50-60 mm
How big is Common Cockchafer?
25-30 mm
How long does Common Cockchafer live?
28-42 days
How fast can Common Cockchafer fly?
8 km/h
What does Common Cockchafer eat?
Adult cockchafers nibble leaves, while their grubs feast on plant roots underground.
Where is Common Cockchafer usually found?
Grasslands
How does Common Cockchafer hunt?
Foraging
How many legs does Common Cockchafer have?
6
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