Phyllophaga
Phyllophaga | |
---|---|
Phyllophaga | |
Common Phyllophaga found in Michigan | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Coleoptera |
Family: | Scarabaeidae |
Tribe: | Melolonthini |
Genus: | Phyllophaga Harris, 1827 |
Species | |
> 900 |
Phyllophaga is a very large genus (more than 900 species) of New World scarab beetles in the subfamily Melolonthinae. Common names for this genus and many other related genera in the subfamily Melolonthinae are May beetles, June bugs, and July beetles.[1][2] They range in size from 12 to 35 mm (0.47 to 1.38 in)[1][2] and are blackish or reddish-brown in colour, without prominent markings, and often rather hairy ventrally. These beetles are nocturnal, coming to lights in great numbers.
The generic name is derived from the Greek words phyllon (φυλλον), which means "leaf", and phagos (φαγος), which means "eater", with a plural ending.[2]
Lifecycle
The lifecycle takes about one year. Females lay 60 to 75 eggs over a period of about two weeks in midsummer. The white egg at first is elliptical (1.5 mm by 2.1 mm) but becomes more spherical as the larva inside develops. These hatch into
Diet
The adults are
Adult chafers eat the leaves and flowers of many deciduous trees, shrubs, and other plants. However, white grubs (reaching 40–45 mm long when full grown) live in the soil and feed on plant roots, especially those of grasses and cereals, and are occasional pests in pastures, nurseries, gardens, and golf courses. An obvious indication of infestation is the presence of birds, such as crows, peeling back the grass to get to the grubs. The injury consists of poorly growing patches that quickly turn brown in dry weather. The grubs can be found immediately below the surface, usually lying in a characteristic comma-like position.[3]
The grubs sometimes attack vegetables and other garden plants, e.g. lettuce, raspberries, strawberries, potatoes, and young ornamental trees. Injury to the roots and rootstock causes small saplings and tender tap-rooted plants like lettuce to wilt suddenly or to show stunted growth and a tendency to shed leaves prematurely. Plants growing in rows are usually attacked in succession as the grubs move along from one plant to the next. Chafer grubs feed below ground for 3–4 years before changing into adult beetles.[3]
Predators
Some
See also
References
- ^ a b enature. "May Beetles Cycle". Archived from the original on 2011-06-16. Retrieved 2010-12-10.
- ^ a b c BugGuide. "Genus Phyllophaga - May Beetles - BugGuide.Net". Iowa State University. Retrieved 2010-12-10.
- ^ a b "June Beetle". Red Planet Inc. Retrieved 2013-12-23.
- ISBN 0-87474-131-9.
Further reading
- Dillon, Elizabeth S., and Dillon, Lawrence (1961). A Manual of Common Beetles of Eastern North America. Evanston, Illinois: Row, Peterson, and Company.
- Evans, Arthur W. Generic Guide to New World Scarabs—subfamily Melolonthinae
- Haarstad, John A. Insects of Cedar Creek, Minnesota
- Smith, A. B. T. (2003). Checklist of the Scarabaeoidea of the Nearctic Realm. Version 3. Electronically published, Lincoln, Nebraska. 74 pp, available here.
- White, Richard E. (1998). Beetles: A Field Guide to the Beetles of North America. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0-395-91089-7.
External links
- Phyllophaga spp. on the UF / IFAS Featured Creatures Web site