Common Green June Beetle
Cotinis nitida
They fly without opening their green wing covers (elytra), keeping them closed to improve aerodynamics while producing a loud, bee-like buzz.
- Scientific name
- Cotinis nitida
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Coleoptera › Scarabaeidae › Cotinis
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- grassland
- Habitat
- Grasslands, agricultural fields, orchards, and suburban lawns
- Diet
- Adults feed on soft, ripe fruits and tree sap; larvae consume decaying organic matter and plant roots in the soil.
- Range
- Eastern United States, Midwestern United States
- Size
- 20-25 mm (0.8-1.0 inches)
- Lifespan
- 1 year
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Pesticide application, intensive lawn cultivation, and soil tilling.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless. These beetles do not sting or bite. If one lands on you, simply let it crawl off or gently nudge it away. No safety precautions or medical actions are necessary.
Cotinis nitida , commonly known as the green June beetle , June bug or June beetle , is a beetle of the family Scarabaeidae. It is found in the eastern United States, where it is most abundant in the south. It is sometimes confused with the related southwestern species figeater beetle Cotinis mutabilis , which is less destructive.
Photo: Thomas Koffel, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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