93 



Professor Forbes of Illinois proposes this rotation: plough the grass 

 in earlv fall, and so-w clover either with oats, ^vheat or rye. Allow the 

 clover to stand tw^o years and follow^ w^ith corn or roots. 



WHITE GRUBS. 



White grubs are the larvae of June Beetles, also called May Beetles, 

 belonging to the family Scarabaeidae. The large size, white body, brown 

 head, enlarged hinder part of abdomen, and the curled-up attitude of the 

 body distinguish them from other grubs that occur in the soil. They feed 

 on the roots of all kinds of grasses, cereal crops, corn, potatoes, and root 

 crops generally. They also injure strawberries, fruit trees, and shajde 

 trees. 



Lachnosterna arcuata : a. adult beetle ; b. pupa ; c. egg ; d. newly hatched larva ; e. nature larva : 

 F. last segment of larva. 



The beetles feed on the leaves of various species of forest and orchard 

 trees. There are several species, mostly belonging to the genus lyachno- 

 sterna. 



Life History. The bieetles emerge from their pupal cells in the 

 ground in May and June, and deposit their eggs below the surface of the 

 ground, usually on the roots of grasses. The grubs feed on the roots and 

 often do considerable damage. They spend two full years as grubs, and 

 in June or Jul}' of_the third year of their life change to pupae. Two or 

 three weeks later they change to adult beetles, but remain in the pu- 

 pal stage until the following spring. In other words, grubs hatched in. 

 in June, 1910, change to pupae in July, I9i2,and the beetles emerge in May 

 and June, 1913. On the approach of winter the grubs descend into the 

 ground for protection. 



Habits. "The adult beetles emerging from the ground fly about at 

 night in search of food, pair in the trees to which the}- resort in my- 

 riads, and retreat again to the earth by day, hiding themselves an inch or 

 sometimes merely creeping under^ fallen grass or other similar shelter." 

 The eggs are placed an inch or more beneath the surface and hatch in from 

 ten to eighteen days. The males begin to die not long after pairing, and 

 the females also perish after egg laying. 



