1304 



THE FRUIT INDUSTRY is !\E\V YORK STATE 



THE ROSE CHAFER 



Appearing when the grapes begin to blossom, and feeding 

 largely upon the blossom and newly set fruit, the rose chafer 

 (Macrodactylus subspinosus Ear.) is able to do an immense 

 amount of damage to the crop. The injury is usually very im- 

 portant, since this pest appears in great numbers in infested areas. 

 However, it does not weaken or kill the vine. Vineyards situ- 

 ated on or near sandy soil are most liable to be infested, because 

 the larvae live only in the lighter soils. 



The adult rose chafer feeds on a large variety of plants, but is 

 especially fond of blossoms of the vine and the rose. It also 

 feeds on the young fruit of the apple, peach, plum, and cherry. 

 After feeding on the grape blossom for nearly a week it migrates 

 to the blossoms of the staghorn sumac, red osier, and elder. The 

 larvae feed entirely on the roots of grasses, being partial to the 

 foxtail, timothy, and blue grass. Sometimes the larvae are found 

 feeding on such grasses in neglected vineyards, but they usually 

 inhabit grass fields and waste land. 



Life History 



The beetles emerge as adults (Fig. 444) during June, and, after 



feeding but a short period, begin 

 to mate; but egg-laying does not 

 occur until the insects have fed 

 nearly two weeks. The females 

 burrow into the soil and there 

 deposit from a few to twenty-five 

 egga. These eggs hatch in about 

 ten days and the young larvae 

 feed during the summer and 

 autumn on the roots of . the 

 grasses. These grubs resemble 

 the earlier stages of the white 

 grub (Fig. 445) and have never 



FIG. 444.- ADULT ROSE CHAFER heen found feeding on the roots 



(Enlarged) of grapes. They are seldom 



found deeper than six inches while feeding, but as cold weather 



approaches they burrow deeper to avoid the severe cold. Early in 



