Cockchafer
Melolontha
melolontha  |
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| This is
probably the largest beetle most people are ever likely
to come across, although they are rarely seen. They are
strongly attracted to light and frequently turn up at
moth traps operated overnight or lighted windows. A
member of the Scarabaeidae family, the Cockchafer is an
imposing species and makes a loud buzzing noise in
flight, but is totally harmless. The fan-like antennae
are longer in males than females. Adult Cockchafers eat leaves and flowers of a range of deciduous trees, plants and shrubs but the larvae can be serious pests of grasses and cereals, as they live in the soil and feed on roots. The Cockchafer occurs in a range of habitats including gardens and has declined in recent years. |
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| UK distribution of Melolontha
melolontha |
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 The UK distribution maps on eakringbirds.com are provided by the National Biodiversity Network (NBN Gateway) Each red square on the map indicates species present in 10km grid squares. Updated September 2011 |
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