Death Valley June beetle

The Death Valley June beetle (Polyphylla erratica) is a scarab beetle in the subfamily Melolonthinae. It is only known to occur in the drainage basin of the Amargosa River in the southwestern United States.^[1] Saltgrass communities, such as those at Saratoga Springs in Death Valley, provide habitat for the insect at all stages of its life.^[2]

Death Valley June beetle
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Coleoptera
Suborder:	Polyphaga
Infraorder:	Scarabaeiformia
Family:	Scarabaeidae
Genus:	Polyphylla
Species:	P. erratica
Binomial name
Polyphylla erratica (Hardy and Andrews, 1978)

Predators of the beetle include coyotes, ravens, and shrikes, the last of which are known to impale the insects on vegetation.^[2]

The Death Valley June beetle does not carry any official conservation status, but is listed as a Species of Concern by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.^[3] The California Department of Fish and Game considers the beetle a "Special Animal" of high conservation need.^[4]