v36.3: June Bugs

Good morning folks,

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June is finally upon us, again.  Where did the last 5 months go?  I find it difficult to believe time could go by so fast, and yet, here we are at the beginning of a new month and almost at the half-way mark of the year.  I believe the old saying goes, "Time flies when you're having fun.", but I find it hard to believe we're having that much fun.

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I'm not sure if you have June Bugs (or June Beetles) in your area of the world, but here in Eastern Canada (and other areas in Canada) they are everywhere right now.  If you're the scientific type, the technical name for "June Bug" is Phyllophaga (from the Greek word Phyllon meaning Leaf Eaters).  They are basically a huge beetle (up to 25mm in size) that seem to appear anytime between late May and early June.  They are as dumb as a post and can be very annoying at night.

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You can hear them at night, especially around light sources.  They are attracted to light and because of their size, you can really hear them buzzing around.  Several nights ago I was outside and the air above me seemed to buzz.  There must have been hundreds of them flying around, some banging into the house and others flying through the tree in front of my house.  Being outside late at night when there is no traffic on the road really seemed to amplify the noise they make.  Then, the next morning you'll usually find a bunch of them dead around the house in water or just laying on the ground near outside lights or lamp posts.  I'm not certain what the connection is between these beetles and June but I suspect it has something to do with the fact they start out as grubs (some can be up to 45mm long) that live underground for 3-4 years feeding on plant roots.  Once the weather starts to warm up, these grubs turn into beetles and then take flight, all at once.  Oh, and I won't describe how these things mate either.  Like most insects, it is creepy and never ends up good for the male.  If you're interested, you can read about it yourself.

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Well, I think I've talked enough about the June Bug.  Before I take off, I will share with you a recipe for a drink called the June Bug cocktail.  No, it doesn't contain any June Bug parts.  I suspect it got its name because of the color since June Bugs in other areas of the world (0ver 260 species) can be quite colorful.  So without further ado, here you go:

Ultimate June Bug Recipe: (taken from Wikipedia)


-1oz Midori melon Liqueur

-½oz Malibu coconut rum

-½oz banana liqueur

-1 ½oz sweet and sour mix

-1oz pineapple juice

Blend all items together and serve over ice in Collins glass.

13% alcohol

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Well folks, that is all I have for you today.  Keep your head down if you're walking around at night, especially around lights.  If you get a chance to head outside tonight, take a listen for the June Bugs flying around.

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Cheers,

Al