They are found throughout the Palearctic region (and North America) and, commonly seen from June to August, living in meadows, hedgerows, and gardens, and eating plants and tree foliage.

[1] Carabid beetles, such as Poecilus cupreus, hunt and consume larvae and serve as a primary predator in arable fields.

[2] These June beetles act as root pests for a number of economically important crops including potatoes, rape, legumes,[3] chestnuts,[4] and turfgrass.

[5] As generalist herbivores, they primarily feed upon secondary roots with smaller amounts of anti-herbivore chemicals across many different species.

[6] Several chemical and bio-control agents have been developed to control their populations,[5] including their endemic bacteria[4][7] and entomopathogenic nematodes.