Mount Hermon June Beetle

Polyphylla barbata is a rare species of beetle known by the common name Mount Hermon June beetle. It is endemic to California, where it occurs only in Santa Cruz County. There is only a single occurrence of the beetle on a stretch of territory of under 1,500 acres (6.1 km2). This is a federally listed endangered species of the United States.

The beetle is about 2 centimeters long, black and brown in color with broken white longitudinal stripes on the back. The elytra are covered in a thin coat of hairs. The female is slightly larger than the male. The female spends most of her time underground, coming out only to mate with the male. The male flies between mid-June and late July, being most active between 8:45 and 9:30 pm. His wings make a crackling sound as he flies. The insect is an underground dwelling larva for most of its life cycle, and the adults may not feed at all. The larvae probably feed on plant roots and mycorrhizal fungi. The life cycle may be 2 to 3 years, but the male beetle's adulthood may last only a week and the female probably dies shortly after laying eggs.