Cotinis nitida
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~50%
Cotinis nitida, commonly known as the green June beetle, June bug or June beetle, is a beetle of the family Scarabaeidae. It is found in the eastern United States and Canada, where it is most abundant in the South. It is sometimes confused with the related southwestern species figeater beetle Cotinis mutabilis, which is less destructive.
The green June beetle is active during daylight hours. The adult is usually 15–22 mm (0.6–0.9 in) long with dull, metallic green wings; its sides are gold and the head, legs and underside are very bright shiny green. Their habitat extends from New Brunswick to Georgia, and as far west as California, with possible population crossover in Texas with their western cousin, the figeater beetle.
The green June beetle is a part of the Scarabaeidae family, with defining characteristics such as modified forewings called elytra sinuate, and a prominent mesosternum. The scutellum is covered by the prothorax attached to the base node. The Cotinis genus is separated by the male species having a small horn on the lower portion of the face (clypeus).
This beetle species differs from the common brown May or June beetle by its larger body index and... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shenandoah National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Great Smoky Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Philadelphia | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Baltimore | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Washington | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Chicago | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Austin | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | San Antonio | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Houston | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | New York City | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Orlando | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Dallas | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Common Green June Beetle sighting in Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a given day, based on 34 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 138th most-seen of the 822 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
July
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Common Green June Beetle in Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a given day, against under 5% in September to May, the lowest months.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Common Green June Beetle sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
2nd of 2
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Common Green June Beetle sightings, Great Smoky Mountains National Park ranks 2nd at about 10%. The best odds are in Shenandoah National Park (United States, about 20%).
Same family: Scarabaeidae
The closest relatives of the Common Green June Beetle that you can see in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (family Scarabaeidae, Scarabs) are Japanese Beetle (about 20%), High Mountain June Beetle (about 10%) and Grapevine Beetle (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Common Green June Beetle is recorded against all the insects logged in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (34 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
