Brighton and Hove parks full of cockchafers in evenings

The annual invasion of cockchafers, also known as May or June bugs, is well under way and they have been spotted in green spaces across Brighton and Hove, from Queen’s Park to Hove Lawns.

The inch-long insects are brown, furry and make a loud whirring noise when flying, but are totally harmless and do not sting.

However, they are covered in tiny hooks and, because they are clumsy fliers, they can get stuck in your hair.

Maybugs are around an inch long (Image: Wikimedia Commons)

According to the Wildlife Trust, the common cockchafer tens to emerge as adults during May.

This adult stage only lasts five to six weeks, usually from late May to early July, before they die.

Before that, they live underground for three to four years as larvae and feeding on grass roots and then emerge as flying adults.

Female common cockchafers will lay up to 80 eggs around 8in under ground, where the grubs will hatch after six weeks and then feed on roots before emerging as adults.

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A spokeswoman for the Wildlife Trust said: “Cockchafers mostly come out after the sun has set and can be seen flying around streetlights and lighted windows.

“With its rusty-brown wing cases, pointed 'tail' and fan-like antennae it is unmistakeable.

“It is a clumsy flier and makes a buzzing sound.”

People have taken to Facebook to ask what the bugs are, with Mantautas Rudys, from Brighton, saying: “What are those brown flying bugs attacking people in Hove lawns? Especially active in evenings, fairly large, and seem to be going on groups of three or more.”

Elaine Tompkins, from Brighton, added: “I hate them - the loud buzzing they come at you and they get stuck in hair. Quite scary really.”

The bugs have been seen swarming in Queen's Park (Image: The Argus)

The insects, also known as doodlebugs, used to be abundant in Europe, but almost died out because of the use of pesticides.

Since greener pesticides have been brought in the numbers of the bugs have rocketed since the 1980s, making them once again a common sight in May and June.