According to science website LiveScience, the second most common fear in America is entomophobia – also known as the phobia of insects. Some students at Carlmont have been experiencing this fear due to the visitation of some new creepy crawlers on campus.

“Those bug things are so gross,” said junior Kiana Yekrang. “Lately I’ve seen them on my way to the bio buildings and they’re so big! It freaks me out so much that I, like, run past them!”

After a slight spout of panic from students and staff, science teacher Joshua Engberg sent out an email to staff members elucidating what exactly these “bug things” are and why they have appeared.

“You may have noticed a bunch of large hairy beetles around campus. These super cool insects are known as rain beetles. These beetles have spent 10 to 12 years underground and have recently emerged,” explained Engberg. “They are trying to mate!”

According to the Bay Nature Institute, rain beetles have one purpose only – to reproduce.

After 10 to 12 years underground, the weather becomes moist and rainy, rain beetles surface to mate. The male beetles have wings and about a two-hour span of energy that they use to find a mate. Female beetles await the males at the entrances of their burrows.

Once they find each other, they mate. Then the females retreat into their burrows to lay eggs that will mature in the spring time.

“I don’t like these beetle things being here at school,” said senior Luke Petersen. “But I guess I’ll get use to them since the shouldn’t be around for long anyways.”