NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



WHITE GRUBS AND JUNE BEETLES 

 Lachnosterna species 



The extremely severe injury to grassland, 



corn, 



potatoes and 



Fig. 4 A common May 

 or June beetle, Lachno- 

 sterna fusca, natural 

 size (original) 



strawberries last spring was, with very little .question, the outcome 

 of a great abundance of May or June beetles in 191 1. The large, 

 brown or dark brown, blundering beetles partly defoliated many 

 forest trees and were so numerous then 

 as to make nuisances of themselves by 

 invading lighted rooms. The insects 

 soon disappeared but evidently not till 

 after millions of eggs had been deposited 

 in the grasslands as shown by severe and 

 extended injuries caused by the grubs. 

 Collections made in May and June 191 1 

 show that Lachnosterna gran- 

 d i s Sm., L. fusca Froh., L. h i r t i - 

 cola Knoch and L. h i r s u t a Knoch 

 were the species most abundant, while the usually rare P o 1 y - 

 phylla variolosa Hentz. was reported very common at 

 Schenectady. 



Characteristics. Our native species are brown or dark brown, 

 stout beetles ranging from one-half of an inch long in L. t r i s t i s 

 Fabr. to an inch long in L . g r a n d i s . Our more common form 

 is L. fusca Froh., a species of average size and measuring 

 about three-quarters of an inch in length. A study of this genus 

 shows there is a large number of very similar species which are 

 separable only with difficulty. The light brown Polyphylla 



variolosa Hentz. is more slender 

 than the typical Lachnosterna and 

 easily recognized by the light yellowish 

 brown, irregular mottlings. A com- 

 mon and closely allied form is the 

 spotted grapevine beetle, P e 1 i d - 

 nota punctata Linn., easily 

 recognized by its brick red color 

 and the strongly contrasting six 

 circular spots on the wing covers. 

 The goldsmith beetle, C t a 1 p a 

 Linn., is another allied form readily distinguished 

 by its similarity in structure and the brilliant golden color. There 





<fr^ 



Fig. 



5 Spotted grapevine 

 beetle (original) 



1 a n i g e r a 



