A large beetle with a reddish-brown body and white markings, common in Europe; also called a May bug because it appears in late spring.
From cock (possibly from the bird's appearance or comb-like antennae) + chafer (from Old English 'ceafor', meaning beetle). The name developed in Early Modern English to describe this distinctive and conspicuous insect.
The cockchafer's appearance each May was so predictable and notable that farmers actually used it as a natural calendar—when you saw the beetles, you knew it was time to plant certain crops! This insect is now disappearing across Europe, making it a biological clock that seems to be running faster.
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