A nocturnal beetle (family Scarabaeidae) up to 3 cm long, in which the adults feed on leaves and the larvae on roots. There are three species: the common cockchafer is Melolontha melolontha; the forest cockchafer is M. hippocastani; and the large cockchafer (which occurs only in south-western Germany) is M. pectoralis. Cockchafers occur throughout Europe.