As the temperatures in Houston soar, residents are finding themselves dealing with an unwelcome early guest: June bugs. These beetles, which usually emerge in May or June, are showing up en masse across the city, creating a nuisance as they buzz around homes and public places. The warm weather, which saw Houston nearly hitting 90 degrees this past week, is likely responsible for the bugs making an early appearance, according to Brandi Keller, a horticulture agent with Texas A&M AgriLife. In a statement obtained by the Chron, she explained, "the weather has warmed up, so that may have initiated the process for some."
The infestation of June bugs, which includes more than 100 species in Texas, might be more intense this year due to favorable conditions prior to winter and a milder winter that let more of them survive. In a Chron interview, integrated pest management entomologist Molly Keck mentioned, "They all start to emerge at one time to take advantage of those environmental cues that are telling them it's time to come out of the ground, look for a mate and lay eggs." Despite being attracted to light, these beetles are known to inadvertently end up in all sorts of places—much to the dismay of vehicle owners, finding them perched unintendedly atop.
Most June bugs spotted in the Houston area are likely Phyllophaga crinata, commonly reddish-brown, and their larvae are known to damage turf grass. The bugs themselves are not harmful to humans or animals and don’t cause significant harm to plants, but their presence can be quite a disturbance, especially at night. "If you look closely at their legs, they have little kind of spines and almost like their legs are Velcro," Keck told the Houston Chronicle. She added the insects are not trying to be a nuisance but are just seeking partners.
If you're seeking respite from these critters, both sources recommend turning off outdoor lights at night to deter them. In a statement obtained by the Houston Chronicle, Keck suggests, "Anywhere that you have control over light and you can turn those things off at night, that will reduce the numbers you see around your home." For those considering pesticides for the larvae, which may harm turf, Keck advises waiting until the most effective treatment times in Texas, which are June and July, saying that current sprays won't reach the eggs, caught accidentally in people's hair and clothes, harmless as they might be.
While their emergence may peak now, Houstonians can expect the June bugs to stick around until fall. According to Keck, their numbers will soon decrease as they are in their peak emergence period but won't fully vanish until September or October, as mentioned in the Chron. She remarked, "They'll be out and then they'll disappear. Then we'll forget about them until next year."
