Where are the May bugs?

[Tortoisel]

It just occurs to me this eve sitting outside that I am yet to be attacked by a May bugs which is a customary annual tradition.

Not complaining because I bloody hate it, but also slightly concerning if they really have just disappeared!

Anyone seen the May bugs this year?

YABU - May bugs have been out here
YANBU - Your right! No May bugs

My garden is alive. It's absolutely packed with plants (some technically weeds) and I've not cut the grass for three years. it is so green and lush. Tons of bees, beetles, mayflies and other bugs. Birds hiding in the hedge. Probably hedgehogs too scurrying about.. not been sat out after dusk but there's usually some. Bats overhead.

The other manicured gardens on my street are devoid of all of this wildlife.

Okay that's actually pretty cute. Love the fancy antenna.

Not mayflies, maybugs. They are completely different creatures.

I would say ‘heftier’ is an understatement lol 😂

They are flying tanks. Shudder at the thought.

But I am sad if they are not here this year 😢

They have a sad life… eat, consummate, die
Sounds alright!

Wait, why has no-one mentioned that they are actually, according to the Wildlife Trust, called (drum roll please)...The Common Cockchafer?

I saw my first one last Saturday, we were all terrified as it is massive, it was the first time that I have seen one in my house.

They are kind of cute from the front. Never seen this view because it’s usually a black flying saucer battering me with its giant shell and wings ☠️

Yes you are correct, they are cockchafers which i think is an absolutely fantastic name

🤣

They're beautiful - but I haven't seen one for years!

No, they don't bite.
My husband and I were just saying yesterday that we hadn't seen any this year.
I love them, with their feathery antennae like great long eyelashes.

They don't bite.

Sorry but this is quite cute! Are they fluffy?
Love his jazzy headband 😂 not sure I’d want him flying at me though.

They don't bite and they're definitely not common enough to infest anywhere.

Beat me to it!

None this year. I think they're cute. My DH is terrified of stag beetles he was camping once and they swarmed all over the tent in the dark.

Holy shit!

I just thought the OP meant bugs generally speaking, as we're in May lol

My garden is full of insect life too but sadly no Maybugs this year. It's very sad.

No they don't infest. They just get confused and fly at lights. So if you leave a light on and a window open you might find half a dozen in your room before you notice. They make a buzzy flickery sound which sounds a bit like an electrical fixture failing.

We used to live in a flat and one year they were so obsessed with the security light at the front of the building that they would exhaust themselves flinging themselves at it and would just be dead in the dozens in the morning all over the step. The Hausmeister had to sweep them away every day. It was truly disgusting.

I’d never seen one in my life before, I’m 53, but moved to a new house locally in the autumn and this spring we’ve found 2 grubs in the garden (thought I’d discovered an alien life form) and one of the adult buggers flew into the garage a few weeks ago and scared the bejaysus out of me. Thought it was a drone!

None here either and we usually get loads. They used to terrorise the now departed dog.

We did have a female stag beetle fly in the patio doors on Sunday night though. She got carefully placed outside. The stag beetles also used to terrorise the dog during mating season - for some reason best known only to stag beetles, just outside the garden door is their preferred orgy venue. The dog would not step out the door the nights they were at it!

What, Cockchafer Beetles? They're adorable! Like cute-faced flying almonds. Look at that little face.

They don't bite FFS just blunder around in a confused way if you have a light on.

Look out for Rose Chafers too - a bit smaller and a gorgeous iridescent green.

I think they’re cute but I’ve only ever had one in the house and that was a few years ago.

I actually didn’t know what these were until four days ago when I woke up and felt something tickling my leg under the duvet. Yes, you guessed it. I was in a state of utter horror thinking it was a cockroach until Google lens informed me otherwise. I caught the bugger in a glass and relocated it outside. I have been too scared to go to sleep since.