THE CHEERY GREEN BEETLE. 27 



CHAPTER XXIV. 



. THE CHERRY GREEN BEETLE. 



{Diphucephala colaspidoides. Gyll.) 



Order: ColeojHera. Sub-order: Scarabceidce. Sub-family: 

 Melanonthidoe. 



This destructive little pest is a very serious enemy of 

 the fruit-grower, more especially to those whose orchards 

 are situate in the so-called heath-grounds, or anywhere 

 within an easy distance of the sea-coast. 



The perfect insect is a handsome beetle of a bright 

 green colour, which, as it approaches to near the termi- 

 nation of its existence, sometimes changes to a bronzy 

 colour ; although, as a rule, this is not a common occur- 

 rence, at least with the kind now under consideration. 



When just emerged from the soil it is about four lines 

 in length, the body, particularly the under jDart, being 

 covered with a sort of fluffy down, which looks not unlike 

 powder, which, however, seems partly to wear ofl" as age 

 advances. 



This beetle whilst in the larval stage is supposed to do 

 but little damage, and then only to the roots of native 

 plants. The larvae lie beneath the soil, a fact which has 

 been but recently ascertained, myself as well as many 

 others having previously made several ineffectual attempts 

 to find out where the grubs really are to be found. It 

 was formerly supposed that they lived on or in the roots 

 of the coast tea-tree {Lepfospenim Uevigatum). This 

 opinion I found, however, to be an erroneous one, as, after 

 a patient search, I discovered the almost perfect beetle 

 just emerging from the soil in the moist heathy flats a 

 few miles from the Caulfield Race-course. The larva or 

 grub of this beetle is a little longer than the beetle itself. 

 It has rather large jaws for so small an insect, and is of 

 a dirty white colour. The beetles, when they emerge 



