June bug

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. In the northern United States, a beetle of any one of the numerous species of the genus Lachnosterna, as L. fusca, common in the whole country. They are large brown clumsy beetles of the melolonthine group of the family Scarabæidæ. Their larvæ, found in turf, are large whitish grubs, popularly known as white-grabs, fish-worms, and ground-hogs. Also called dor-bug (which see for another cut). In the south these beetles are oftener called May-beetles, since they appear there earlier.
2. n. In the southern United States, a beetle very different from the preceding, Allorhina nitida, a large, smooth, greenish, species of the cetonian group of Scarabæidæ, which appears in June, and the larvæ of which resemble those of the northern June-bug in habits and appearance, being likewise known as white-grubs. See cut under Allorhina. Also Juny-bug.
3. n. One of various European beetles of the genus Rhinotrogus, related to Lachno-sterna.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. (Zoö.) See june beetle.
2. n. Chiefly Northern U. S. A firefly.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. any of various large usually brown North American leaf-eating beetles common in late spring; the larvae feed on roots of grasses etc.