"
May bug" (noun) is one of the commonly used names for the cockchafer, a large
brown beetle (normally
2-3cm in length as adults) native to Europe. These often emerge as adults during or slightly before
May, and are considered crop pests, due to their appetite for vegetation.
The cockchafer has a well-established history as a crop pest, and was put in trial in France in 1320, where the beetles were accused of damaging crops. The court ruled that the beetles did in fact damage the crops and were ordered to leave the area, which the beetles ignored, thus proving that the cockchafer is one of many beetles that is above the law.
Cockchafers feed on plant matter and are not venomous and do not sting. While cockchafers can fly, they are clumsy, leading them to crash into surfaces, including
people and
windows. Their long legs feature small spines and hooks that
help them grip plants stems, but often lead them to become tangled in
hair. Contrary to urban myth that cockchafers crash into
people in order to attack them or lay eggs in their hair, cockchafers are generally not aggressive towards humans and much prefer to lay eggs in soil. As they are attracted to light, they can frequently be seen around porch lights between Late and early July.
*POOONG* (The sound of a
may bug hitting a large window)
"The
May bugs are ruining our vegetable garden."
"The Court finds these
May bugs guilty of property damage and loitering, and demands that they evacuate this farm immediately and without compensation for relocation. Failure to do so will result in extermination by fly-swatter."