noun
drone beetle; Pseudotorynorrhina japonica
A specific metallic green beetle often found on tree sap in summer. In everyday Japanese, カナブン usually refers to this species.
夏になると、クヌギの木にカナブンが集まってくる。
In summer, drone beetles gather on the sawtooth oak tree.
Broader, less precise use; sometimes applied to similar-looking beetles, but the primary meaning is the drone beetle.
カナブンはコガネムシの仲間だ。
The drone beetle is a kind of scarab beetle.
Rarely used kanji form.
コガネムシ is a general term for scarab beetles, while カナブン specifically refers to the drone beetle (Pseudotorynorrhina japonica).
The origin is uncertain. The kanji 金蚊 (literally 'gold mosquito') is likely ateji based on the beetle's metallic sheen and buzzing flight.