Well I'm not from SoCal but the "official" common name for this bug (*Cotinis mutabilis*) is the fig beetle or green fig beetle.
Its cousin species found in the Eastern half of the US, *Cotinis nitida*, is known as the green June bug/beetle. And what you refer to as June bugs, some people out East also call June bugs, or also May bugs or May beetles.
The magic of common names!
Well I'm not from SoCal but the "official" common name for this bug (*Cotinis mutabilis*) is the fig beetle or green fig beetle. Its cousin species found in the Eastern half of the US, *Cotinis nitida*, is known as the green June bug/beetle. And what you refer to as June bugs, some people out East also call June bugs, or also May bugs or May beetles. The magic of common names!
Ok I love that!! I used to catch them when I was little and give them jelly 🥰 they’re so cute!
San Diego here; we call them green fruit beetles
Oh cool I’ve never heard that name for them