432 



Insect Pests. 



1 inch in length. 



all accounts I can gather it seems that this pest has decidedly 

 increased of late years in (4reat Britaiu. It is a general pest, 

 attacking, in its larval stage, all vegetation below ground; the adults 

 are more particular in their food. 



LiFK-IIlSTiiUY AXI) HaIUTS. 



Tlie Cock Chafer, also known as the Large Chafer, often reaches 

 Its head and thorax are black, the elytra 

 or wing cases reddish-brown, 

 each elytron with four raised 

 lines running longitudinally, the 

 elytra are hairy and do not en- 

 tirely cover the abdomen ; on 

 each .'side of the liody are alter- 

 nate black and wliite patches : 

 the legs are lirown and hairy, and 

 the front tibiie have two spines 

 near the apex ; tlie body of the 

 female ends in a horny ovi- 

 positor ; the antenna- end in 

 seven leaf-like lamella- in the 

 male, six in the female ; these 

 plates open and close u)) like the 

 ribs of a fan. 



The (_'ock Chafer occurs in 

 ^lay and dune, mostly early in 

 tlie latter month. Tliey are ex- 

 tremely sluggish during the day- 

 time, hiding under and amongst 

 dense fuliage, often numbers to- 

 gether, holding on rather firmly 

 by tlieir luioked claws. At night 

 the\' tly al.Hjut with a heavy, 

 yet ]iiiwerful flight, producing 

 a loud hum or whirl. The 

 female deposits her eggs in the 

 ground and especially in loose 

 .. Tlie eggs are often burieil 7 or 8 inclies deep. 

 The eggs .are large, aViout the size, and somewhat the shape, of a 

 liemp seed, creamy-white in eidmn-. Tlie grubs are tliick, tleshy and 

 wliite in colour, the tail end is swollen and almost bhidder-like and 

 semi-transparent, the black intestinal matter showing through, curved 



T.AKCF, CHAFKl; {}li'(uh>,it]ia i 



SUMMER C-H.WF.U {lU:'rj<l i--<[\vs x<j/.^tii:,il i.^). 



r-.VRI'EX CHAFER Wh iUh'l'i'rtlin it^rl iohl). 



nil. 



