The monsoon monster beetle

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) - During the summer monsoon, Arizonans frequently find Palo Verde beetles in their yard or even their pool. These big guys freak a lot of people out.

Once the monsoon starts, these huge beetles come out of the ground looking for love, and they’re huge.

They can measure up to 7 inches long and they can fly! Since they’re so huge, they’re horrible fliers and make a mess on windshields and bikers’ helmets.

They start out their lives eating the roots of a Palo Verde tree for two to four years. They are found underground as white larvae, before coming out of the ground after the first rainfall. The larvae can get up to 5 inches long and they are a favorite snack for bears in the woods.

They come out of the ground looking their best and looking for love. The mature beetles don’t eat. They rely on their energy reserves to get around. Once they find a mate, they crawl back underground to lay their eggs, then they die.