My Daughter Found This Giant Insect in the Bathroom, and Now I Can’t Stop Thinking About It!
Why Do They Keep Ending Up Indoors?
If May Bugs live in trees and soil, why did this one choose a bathroom toilet roll as its vacation home?
The answer is simple: Artificial light. May Bugs are strictly nocturnal and are incredibly drawn to bright windows and porch lights after sunset. Because they are heavy, uncoordinated flyers, they bumble around erratically in the dark. If a bathroom window is left cracked open at night while a light is on, they will inevitably crash-land through the gap, get disoriented by the walls, and look for a quiet, textured surface to rest on until morning.
What Should You Do When You Find One?
Because they are completely docile and incapable of hurting you, there is absolutely no need to use harsh chemical bug sprays. Dealing with them is simple, quick, and a great teaching moment for kids:
1. The Classic Glass and Card Trick
Because they move relatively slowly when they aren’t flying, you can easily trap them. Place a plastic cup or a wide glass over the beetle. Gently slide a stiff piece of cardboard or junk mail underneath to seal them inside.
2. Relocate to the Garden
Take the cup outside and release the beetle near a tree, garden hedge, or flower bed. Once outside, they will happily resume their role in the local ecosystem.
3. Keep the Screens Closed
To prevent future middle-of-the-night bathroom surprises, ensure your window screens are securely shut during late spring evenings when inside lights are blazing.
A Very Short Season
The good news for anyone who is squeamish about beetles is that adult May Bugs have an incredibly short lifespan of only 5 to 7 weeks to mate and lay eggs. By the time June passes, they will disappear from the skies completely, leaving your bathroom toilet paper rolls safely to themselves!
