In 1962, a mysterious illness broke out in a dressmaking department of a US textile factory, with 62 employees experiencing numbness, nausea, dizziness, and vomiting. The symptoms were initially attributed to bites from a 'June bug,' but an investigation by the US Public Health Service found no evidence of a bug capable of causing such symptoms. The incident was concluded to be a case of mass hysteria, triggered by anxiety and the power of suggestion.

The June bug epidemic has been cited in psychological and sociological studies as a classic example of hysterical contagion in the workplace. The event has inspired writers to explore the dynamics of fear and the power of rumor in industrial settings, and it has been referenced in works that examine the psychology of groups and the role of suggestion in shaping perception. It remains a vivid example of how collective anxiety can manifest in physical symptoms.