246 



STRAWBERRY. 



Golden Chafer or Green Rose Chafer. Cetonia mirata, Linn. 



Cetonia aueata. — 1, beetle; 2, larva; 3, cocoon; 4, pupa, showing back. 



The Golden Chafer, like the Cockchafer mentioned in the 

 preceding paper, is injurious both in larval and perfect state. 

 As a beetle it frequents many kinds of flowers, including those 

 of the Apple, and of the Eose, from which it takes one of its 

 names ; but it is more especially injurious in its attacks to 

 Strawberry blossom, and to the flowers of Turnips left for 

 seed, where it eats off the anthers from the stamens, and 

 thus renders the flowers abortive. As a maggot it feeds on 

 roots of grass and other plants, and was considered by Curtis 

 as in all probability sometimes to cause much mischief by 

 feeding at the roots of Strawberries. 



The beetle (figured above, life size) is of a bright metallic 

 green or golden green above; coppery, with a rose tint, below ; 

 the wing-cases are punctate, and marked with spots or streaks 

 of white or ochreous colour, so placed as often to look like 

 cracks across the metallic green of the wing-case. The horns 

 are ended by a club much like that of the Cockchafer (see 

 figure, p. 242), excepting that it has only three leaves or 

 plates, whereas that of the Cockchafer has seven plates in 

 the male, and six in the female. The wings are large and 

 membranous, of a brownish colour, with horny veins ; and 

 when the beetles are seen in flight on a sunny day they are 

 very conspicuous objects, and (if quietly watched) noticeable 

 for the care with which they will choose a place (presumably) 

 for egg-laying, by floating round in the air till an available 

 crack in the ground is selected, and then with good aim 

 sweeping down into it and disappearing. 



The Chafers lay their eggs in the ground, including in this 

 such places as heaps of rich earth, and Cucumber beds, in 



