I hadn't heard of these insects until earlier today when a friend about 100 miles south of me reported his first encounter with this problem.  Searching the Internet shows they have been found in many cities in California, more in SoCal than NorCal, so I'm surprised I hadn't heard of them before.  Also, I only found one mention of them in passing at F4F (from a member who had had no experience with them), which is also surprising.  This insect is large and loud and my friend says they are scary despite experience with such things as dealing with skunks and raccoons many times.

This video is sort of funny with the calm voice the lady uses, seems she's got pretty used to them.

I think they are June Bettles aka "June bugs"

So much for perfect location for figs.

I think they are different, from what I've read.
Figeater: http://bugguide.net/node/view/456299
June bug: https://insects.tamu.edu/fieldguide/bimg139.html

Different genus and species.  This says they are often confused: theambitiousseed.blogspot.com/2012/08/todays-lesson-know-they-enemy-figeater.html

Edit: the Junebug link above is for the green junebug, Wikipedia shows a different junebug in the same genus but still a different species: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Figeater_beetle

it seems they are more an issue in SW US and mexico.

My friend has typically put down a layer of bark several inches thick all around his fruit tree area in his back yard and that may provide a habitat for the larvae.  Chickens would probably help if he was up for that.

Yikes!  I hope they can't survive in Maine and never get here.  We have enough bugs.
Japanese beetles eat my peaches just like that, they mound over one and eat it until it's just a pit before they move on to another.

I saw one in my yard last week.

They are a problem in SoCal, they love peaches and will eat any other soft skinned fruit that is sweet. Luckily they are big and clumsy and easy to spot and kill. Even a bird net will be able to stop most of them.

I believe they are called Mexican Fruit Beetles and I have only seen one here on a fig tree. I have the regular brown June Bugs. They are two different species of the same beetle if my memory is correct. They lay eggs that become grubs. I've even found them(the grubs) in my potted plants & trees, but they are the brown type and cause no damage to figs here. I know they like to gnaw on rose leaves though.

Beetles

Figeater beetle is Cotinis mutabilis
Green June Beetle is Continis nitida

At http://bugguide.net/node/view/29926 I see Cotinis mutabilis has a synonym common name of green fruit beetle.  No other synonyms are listed, though regional names are probably likely.

I saw these at a local nursery. They look like Japanese beetles on steroids. And they absolutely devoured the trees there. Suffice to say, I bought nothing, afraid something would come home with me.

I am convinced this is what killed my peach tree. It also scared me so much that I ran inside my house!! Lol!

They look like the scarabs that deflesh people in "The Mummy."

saw one late last yr. squashed that one. haven't seen one since. if i don't know what it is, i squash it first then think about what it was later.

Had never seen those bugs till this year. Have killed at least two dozens of them. They are much larger than Japanese Bettles. They release a highly unpleasant odor, when you have them in your hands.

Navid.

The are called fig beetles, banana beetles, peach beetles, nectarine beetles, etc. Just depends on what they are eating.

Too bad they aren't beetle beetles!

Navid, I don't think I'd be putting these in my hand.  I'd probably knock them off the tree and hit them with a shot of wasp/hornet spray.  IMO, the wasp spray that Home Depot sells in the black and white can is the best and I think it works on most any insect.  It works well when I go out at night with a flashlight to hunt for black widow spiders, for sure.  That's the best time to hunt for wasps also.  These beetles are supposedly only active during the day so I don't know where they'd be at night.

>>> I'd probably knock them off the tree...
If you manage to do that, try catching them in some container half filled with water and some plain dishwasher soap.
They will drown and die within seconds.
I used to do that with Japanese Beetles. Also with Flour Moths. Both tend to dive-down when dreaded.

You can tie a string to one of their legs, and fly them sort of like a kite.

In 2012, I had a major problem with June bugs(as they are called in the South) due to the rain and associated spoiling during ripening.

1) Pick any damaged or spoiled fruit daily and feed to chickens or dispose of away from the fig trees.


2) Catch the June bugs in a jar with some water in the bottom to keep them from flying out of the jar.This helps when catching Kudzu bugs too.The June bugs tend to fall straight down from a fig or leaf that they are holding onto before starting to move their wings and fly away.When startled they spray a stench that will ruin the figs so try to be careful when capturing them.



I picked a gallon of June bugs a couple times last year :( . Chickens will eat them in moderation.They are supposed to be a good catfish bait. A gallon of them in a container is a stink that you won't forget.

This year, I had a dozen or so show up at the beginning of July,but there weren't any ripe figs due to the rainy cold spring so they haven't been a problem yet in my area.