Amphimallon solstitiale

Amphimallon solstitiale
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Coleoptera
Family:	Scarabaeidae
Subfamily:	Melolonthinae
Genus:	Amphimallon
Species:	A. solstitiale
Binomial name
Amphimallon solstitiale (Linnaeus, 1758)

Amphimallon solstitiale, also known as the summer chafer or European june beetle, is a beetle similar to the cockchafer but much smaller, approximately 20 millimetres (0.79 in) in length. They are declining in numbers now, but where found they are often seen in large numbers. At dusk they actively fly around tree tops looking for a mate and can often be found drowning in pools of water the following morning. They are also attracted to light and come in through open, lit windows and fly around lamps, making quite a racket while bumping into lights. They are found throughout the Palearctic region, commonly seen from June to August, living in meadows, hedgerows, and gardens, and eating plants and tree foliage.

Distribution

The species can be found in such countries as Estonia, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Croatia, Serbia, France, Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Greece, Italy, Spain, Germany, southern part of Russia, Mexico and Great Britain

External links

• Media related to Amphimallon solstitiale at Wikimedia Commons
• Amphimallon solstitiale page on Encyclopedia of Life