97 



are densely coated with small, pale grayish, brilliantly iridescent 

 scales. The legs are reddish and sparsely covered on the femora with 

 similar scales. 



The length is a litte less than three-sixteenths of an inch (7-9 mm ). 



The males, as frequently happens in this genus, differ from the 

 females considerabl} r in appearance. They are usually smaller and 

 so much darker as to look like distinct species. The color of the male 

 is quite dark brown, and the scales are less evident than in the female. 



This species appears to be restricted to California, and to be most 

 abundant in the southern portion of that State. The list of localities 

 from which we have received this species or reports of its occurrence 

 includes Los Angeles, Selma, Placer County, Fresno, Kern County, 

 Lake Tahoe, and Sacramento. 



Some interesting observations upon this species were made by Mr. 

 Schwarz, who communicated a portion of them to the writer. It 

 appears from his statement that roses are 

 most badly injured, from half a dozen to a 

 hundred individuals occurring on a single 

 flower. The insect is rather generally 

 known in California as rose bug, and even 

 as the rose-chafer, being mistaken by some 

 for the Eastern rose-feeding Macrodac- 

 tylus. A singular and unaccountable fact 

 is that the beetles are very strongly at- 

 tracted to white and other light-colored 

 roses, such as }^ellow and pink ones, and to 

 light reds, but the dark reds, are, according 

 to observation, entirely exempt from attack. 

 The beetles bore into and through the 

 roses, completely destroying them. The 

 flowers of the Calk lily are always destroyed, the beetles occurring 

 on them by hundreds. It seems that there is something about this 

 plant — whether the petals or the long yellow spadix — that is poisonous 

 to the beetles, and they die and collect with other insects in decaying 

 masses in the deep calyx of these flowers. Whether or not in this 

 condition tliey furnish nourishment for the plant remains to be 

 ascertained. The flowers of magnolia, olive, and of various native 

 plants, of which there are not many in the grape-growing regions, are 

 also attacked, the list including late-blooming willows, lupines, and 

 Eschscholtzias. As a rule, this species of Hoplia occurs too late, at 

 least in the neighborhood of Fresno, to do much injury to the flowers 

 of grape, and the same is true of orange. In fact, on the latter plant, it 

 is possible that the beetles are of some benefit in reducing the surplus 

 of blooms and thus improving the fruiting. Figs, it might be men- 

 tioned, because they have no flowers are exempt from attack. 



19288— No. 27—01 -7 



Fig. 25.— Hoplia callipyge: female- 

 four times natural size (original). 



