THE BROWN FRUIT-CHAFER. 73 



In some cases, according* to Dr. Otto Lugger (Second Annual Rep. 

 Ent., Stat. Expt. Sta. Univ. Minn, for 1896, p. 27), the beetles have eaten 

 off the flowers of apple, plum, strawberry, blackberry, raspberry, and 

 other fruits, and have destroyed the male flowers of corn. Still another 

 form of damage reported by Dr. Lugger is to apples and berries exposed 

 for drying. 



The beetles also frequently attract attention through their great 

 numbers on fruit trees and choice shade trees. Often the beetles settle 

 upon the flower heads of golden-rod and thistle, but their occurrence 

 on flowers is not so noticeable as upon fruits. 



Messrs. Osborn and G-ossard have recorded some interesting obser- 

 vations and the results of experiments to ascertain the possibility of 

 the beetles attacking ears of corn that are uninjured by birds or other 

 insects. Beetles were taken in abundance on Ambrosia trifida, to 

 which they appeared to be attracted by the ripening seeds, and con- 

 fined in different lots with ears of corn, the conclusion being reached 

 that the beetles are capable of entering uninjured ears of corn for the 

 purpose of feeding, but that the habit was exceptional and not liable 

 to occur except in the event of a deficiency of more available and 

 appropriate food. (Bui. 15, Iowa Agr. Expt. Sta., Nov., 1891, pp. 

 255-258.) 



Until recently this species has been known in literature as the Indiau 

 cetonia. It has also been called the " bumble flower beetle" and the 

 " common hairy rose-beetle." In the note by the writer, previously 

 mentioned, the insect for want of a better name was called "brown 

 sap-chafer." It has been a somewhat difficult matter to decide upon 

 an appropriate name. The writer believes that, everything considered, 

 "fruit-chafer" would be more fitting for this class of insects, as it is by 

 their injury to fruits that attention is most often called to them. The 

 name of " brown fruit- chafer " is therefore suggested for the species. 



NATURAL ENEMIES. 



The larvae are peculiarly hardy and evidently able to take care of 

 themselves without trouble 5 still, although their life is so short, they 

 are liable to infestation by the same insect and other enemies which 

 destroy the larvae of other sorts of white grubs. Of this number is* an 

 undetermined species of Tyroglyphus, which was found in a cocoon 

 upon a pupa of the lot reared. Among the notes of Dr. Eiley I find 

 mention of a similar instance of the occurrence of Tyroglyphus, found 

 also upon the pupa. The note is dated July 10, 1874. 



July 4, 1896, Mr. E. A. Schwarz, of this Division, brought a few larvae, 

 which were afterwards reared to this beetle, found under a stone at 

 Berkeley Springs, W. Ya., with which he noticed several specimens 

 of the larva of a species of Typhia, perhaps T. ornata, a well-known 

 hymenopterous enemy of Lachnosterna larvae. A Typhia larva is also 

 recorded in Dr. Eiley's notes as having been observed July 25, 1874, 

 attached to a young larva of this Euphoria. 



