A bright light on at night
An open window or gap around a vent
Warm, humid air (which they find inviting)
He wasn’t looking for a new home. He was just lost.
HomeWhat Is This Bug? (And What to Do When You See One)
What Is This Bug? (And What to Do When You See One)
You mentioned you first thought it was a June bug. That’s a very common mix-up. Here’s the quick cheat sheet:
Feature Cockchafer (May Bug) June Bug
Size Larger (1–1.5 inches / 25–35mm) Smaller (½–1 inch / 12–25mm)
Color Dark reddish-brown with a black head Shiny, metallic greenish-brown
Movement Clumsy, loud, bangs into things Buzzing, erratic but slightly more agile
Active season Late April through May (4-6 weeks only) Late May through June
Body shape Stockier, more oval Slightly sleeker
The cockchafer is also much louder in flight—hence that alarming “whap” sound you heard. They’re not graceful flyers. At all.
What to Do If You Find One (Exactly What You Did Right)
You handled this perfectly. Here’s the simple step-by-step:
1. Don’t panic. They cannot hurt you. Even if one lands on you, it will just crawl or try to fly away.
2. Turn off the bathroom light and close the door. Darkness will calm it down, and it will stop banging into surfaces.
3. Open an outside window (if possible) and turn on an outside light. It will fly toward that light and leave on its own. This is the kindest method.
4. Alternatively, capture it gently. Use a cup and a piece of stiff paper or cardboard. Slide the paper under the cup, carry it outside, and release it onto a tree or bush (not directly on the ground—they need to climb).
What NOT to do:
Do not squash it (it’s messy and unnecessary).
Do not flush it (it’s alive and can survive in pipes for a while—cruel and ineffective).
Do not spray it with insecticide inside your bathroom (overkill and introduces chemicals into your living space).
Will More Cockchafers Come Inside?
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