Have you ever heard of a June Bug?   Well I have, but I couldn’t recall what type of bug it was, only that we caught them by flower bush Grandma Gilbert had near the corner of her house. They were hard shelled, good flyers with sturdy, prickly legs and came out at dusk.

     We would catch these bugs and tie a long piece of thread to one of its back legs.  Once released the June bug would fly but was limited to the string leash we held.  We would play for hours with these bugs.  Grandma always had a spool of thread we could use because there were a lot of us Gilbert grand kids.  It was entertainment at its best, or so we thought.

     I decided I needed to know more facts about this wonderful toy so I did some research and found it is common in late spring and summer months. It is a nocturnal insect and active at night, feeding mainly on favored plants, such as buds and flowers of shrubs and fleshy garden vegetables.

     The June bug begins as a fat white grub.  In the larval stage the June bug lives in rich humus and leaf litter. Hatching from deeply buried eggs, the grub worm feeds mainly on roots, moldy leaves, and other plant matter. It lives underground until it molts into the adult stage.

     I wasn’t surprised to learn the grub-worm is a favorite live-bait among fishermen, because I’ve used them.  I was surprised to learn it grows up to be my favored June bug. Very few fish will refuse the chance to take a grub and I suspected there was a deeper reason for my husband’s sudden interest in my flower garden.  Birds and other wild animals like them too, feeding avidly on the fat worm.

     The adult June bug is a robust insect, reaching up to two inches in length. A true beetle, it has a set of powerful wings protected by a wing case. Exterior color can vary from pale tan to dark brown or almost black.

     A chemical analysis of the June bug revealed its hidden secrets as full of edible fats and proteins.  Toasted June bugs have a surprisingly sweet delightful taste. The flavor closely resembles thick raw molasses or crudely made ribbon cane syrup.

     They say it is difficult to eat just one.  I say give me a cane pole and a bucket of grubs.  You can find me on the river bank flying my June bug while I catch a more favorable dinner.