H2 THE TiEPORT OF THE No. 36 



and produce the adult early in September where it lies comfortably in its earthen 

 cell 6 to 8 in. below the surface until the advent of warm spring weather. In 

 1914 some 8,370 beetles were collected from various trees and shrubs, and a sum- 

 mary of the collection data thus obtained is worthy of mention. L. gibhosa is 

 about the earliest species to appear in numbers and is very abundant until the 

 middle of June when its numbers begin to decrease although scattering individuals 

 may be taken until the middle of July. In fact the species comprise 66 per cent, 

 of all beetles collected that year. In point of numbers the males exceed the females 

 in the proportion of 1.74 to 1 or nearly twice as many males as females, the col- 

 lection from lights and trap lanterns have not been included. 



L. rugosa. This species appears about a weiek later than gibbosa and is not an 

 abundant species, it feeds freely on the foliage of most trees. In point of numbers 

 the males exceed the females in the proportion of 1.78 to 1. 



L. fusca. Appears about the same time as gibbosa l>ut is not so abundant 

 ill tlie early part of the season. Taking the season through it is next to gibbosa 

 in order of abundance. The pro})ortion of males to females in this case is reversed, 

 the females predominating in the proportion -of 1.47 to 1. 



L. dubia. One of the first species to appear in spring but nut common. Its 

 season would seem to be shorter than any other species, no specimens havinu liccn 

 taken after the 24th June. Females were more abundant than males the former 

 predominating in the ratio of 2.2 to 1. 



Notes on Collecting. There are some points of interest in collecting thai 

 are worthy of mention. In May and early June the beetle movement is quite 

 regular, and the evening migration takes place usually a few minutes before 8 p.m., 

 and is usually com])lete in 15 or 20 minutes. They are most abundant on warm 

 nights with a temperature between 65 and 70 degrees, and the best time for col- 

 lection is between 11.30 p.m. and 1.30 a.m. Likewise the return migration to the 

 ground is similar, and is usually complete by 4 a.m. It seems to be governed by 

 the brightness of the morning and as " West '^ (8th report 111. State Ent.) lias 

 pointed out, it seems as though the first bird note were a signal for the beetles 

 to fly to their day-time hiding places. Should the temperature be not o^■er On 

 degrees, collecting may be safely begun by 9 p.m. as the beetles are not ovei- aeti\e 

 at that temperature, but should it be above that it is better to wait a little, until 

 the beetles are less active as they are strongly attracted to lights, and will fly 

 to the light or assemble on the collecting sheets from all directions and fj'oni all 

 varieties of trees. The earlier in the evening collections are made the more boating 

 the branches require, while if it is delayed, say until midnight or a little later, the 

 least touch will cause the beetles to fall. It seems as though the cool night air 

 has a stupefying efl:'eet, and once dislodged they make no effort to rise again. 

 Collecting from trees inhabited by June beetles does not always indicate that they 

 feed upon that particular plant, as I have ascertained. For instance, on May 18th 

 a soft maple tree was found to be alive with June beetles, and the noise was like 

 the hum of swarms of bees, yet on examination the following morning, no injury 

 of any consequence was observed, except that an occasional outside margin of a 

 leaf had been slightly eaten. Their sole object in thus assembling in this tree 

 was principally for copulation purposes. Their habits in the daytime are equally 

 interesting, leaving their food plants early in the morning, they hide themselves 

 in tufts of grass, or in the soil lA to 1 in. deep. A heavy rain will keep them 

 in their daytime hiding places, but a light rain will not interfere with their move- 

 ments. Should a heavy rain come on while they are feeding it has the effect of 



