THE BEETLES 151 



droppings, which they carry in for food for the larvae which live 

 in the burrows, while others, known as skin-beetles, feed on dried 

 or decomposing animal matter, frequenting the refuse of tanneries 

 and eating the hoofs and hair of dead animals. Thus the scaven- 

 gers may be considered as somewhat beneficial, but the leaf -chafers 

 include many of our worst pests. The June-bugs, or May-beetles, 



FIG. 216. The rose-chafer 



a, adult ; /-, larva ; c, d, mouth-parts of same ; <?, pupa ; /, injured leaves and blossoms of 



grape, with beetles at work. <7, b, <?, much enlarged ; c, d, more enlarged ; _/, slightly reduced. 



(After Marlatt, United States Department of Agriculture) 



are among the best-known representatives of this group. They 

 are stout, brown, or blackish beetles nearly an inch long, which fly 

 in and buzz around the lights in early summer. There are some 

 sixty species belonging to this genus (Lachnosternd], the larvae of 

 which are the typical white grubs which attack the roots of grass, 

 corn, and garden crops. These beetles feed at night on various 

 shade and fruit trees, ragging the foliage as if it had been -torn. 

 The rose-chafer is another well-known species, which destroys the 



