97 



MELOLONTHIDiE. (Leaf chafers, May-bugs, etc.) 



These insects have the antennae short with a distinct club at the 

 end composed of three plates or leaves opening like the leaves of a 

 book ; the tip of the abdomen is always exposed, the extremity of the 

 wing-cases not curving down behind to cover it. As a general rule 

 the species are oblong, more or less cylindrical in form and fleshy, so 

 that they fly heavily, the abdomen hanging down. They are gener- 

 ally of a uniform chesnut-brown color. The claws of their feet are 

 notched or split at the tip like the point of a pen. 



In the perfect or beetle state they feed upon the leaves of fruit and 

 other trees, often doing serious damage ; their split claws admirably 

 adapting them to this mode of life. As evening and night is their 

 usual time of flying and feeding, the cause of the injury they do is 

 often overlooked by those unacquainted with their habits. 



Tne larvae or worms from which they are produced are thick, 

 fleshy, white grubs with dark or brown heads; they are generally 

 enlarged more or less toward the posterior end, the last segment be- 

 ing the largest and marked with an indentation across the tip ; they 

 have the usual six thoracic legs; their usual position is on the side 

 and coiled into a semi-circle ; the back is transversely wrinkled. 

 These have generally received the name "white grubs." Some of the 

 species remain in this state for three years, feeding upon the roots of 

 grasses and of other plants such as strawberries, corn, vegetables and 

 even nurserv stock. 



PHYLLOPHAGA FU3CA- 



•Frohl. (Lachnosternaquercina, Knoch.) The 

 Mav Beetle. 



This very common species 

 is of an almost uniform chest- 

 nut-biown color, though the 

 head and thorax are some- 

 times darker brown or almost 

 black ; the breast- is almost 

 covered with paler silken 

 hairs. The wing-cases, 

 though bearing two or three 

 very siightly elevated flat- 

 tened ridges, are not grooved. 

 It varies in length irom three- 

 fourths to nearly one inch ; 

 the width across the widest 

 part being about one half 

 the length. It is not hairy 

 above as is the case with 

 another very similar species 

 phtllofhaga (Lachnosterna) fusca, Frohi ; quercina. which is quite common in 



Kn. : — 1. pupa in its earthen cell ; 2, larva ; 3,4, bee- , /• ,-i cu ± 



tie, side and back view. some parts ol the State. 



The beetles generally make their appearance in the latter part of 

 May or June, according to the season and latitude; in the Southern 

 and Central portions of Illinois they sometimes appear in the early 

 b— 7 



