Subject: Bug in my kitchen
Location: Cork, Ireland
January 1, 2015 5:11 pm
Hi, I was just wondering if you could tell me what this bug is? It scared the life out of me! It’s nt something that you would usually see. Hope the photos are ok because there’s not a hope I’m taking the glass off for a closer look!
Signature: H France
Dear H France,
This Scarab Beetle is commonly called a Cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha, and they are found throughout Europe. This January sighting is very unusual. According to the Natural History Museum site, Cockchafers are generally sighted: “flying on warm evenings from May to July. Melolontha melolontha is attracted to artificial light and often comes indoors through open windows or even down chimneys. May bugs may cause consternation to those who encounter them but are harmless to humans.”