Bug FAQVariegated June Beetle
Polyphylla variolosa · Order: Coleoptera · Family: Scarabaeidae
Also called: Smallpox Chafer
Males have longer club-ended antennae with seven segments compared to females. It lives on sandy soils near the Great Lakes and coastal areas from Quebec south to Virginia.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Adults measure just over two centimeters and are reddish-brown.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
The species is found in North America.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 18 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Vermont, Maine, Kansas, New Hampshire, California.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
How big is the variegated June beetle?
It is a little over two centimeters long and reddish-brown.
Source: Wikipedia
How can I tell male and female beetles apart?
Males have longer club-ended antennae with seven segments, while females have shorter ones.
Source: Wikipedia
Where might I find this beetle?
Look for it on sandy soils near the Great Lakes and coastal areas from Quebec to Virginia.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Scarabaeidae)
Japanese BeetlePopillia japonicaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Common Green June BeetleCotinis nitidaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Phyllophaga crinitaDamages trees, gardens or crops
European Rose ChaferCetonia aurata
Mediterranean Spotted ChaferOxythyrea funestaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Oriental BeetleExomala orientalisDamages trees, gardens or cropsSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyphylla_variolosa
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-24.