172 MISC. PUBLICATION 657, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 
or in many food-study cages. Still, every species except P. anvia 
(Lec.) was ‘taken from one to many times from both jack and red pines. 
It is positively known that the PA yllophaga so collected were not feed- 
ing; they are believed to have been newly emerged individuals resting 
after the initial or an early flight. Such individuals could more or 
less properly be recorded tinder “host collections,” but certainly not 
under “food-plant” coilections. It is very easy to detect feeding, as 
the feeding beetles nearly always remain stationary until removed. 
Future collections, it is suggested, should be recorded as “collected 
feeding on,” or “resting on,” or under other specific headings. 
The general habits of leaf-chafer adults vary, as would be expected. 
In South Carolina little activity has been recorded at temperatures 
below 60° F., whereas on the Huron National Forest there may be 
some feeding at temperatures as low as 52°. On the more northern 
national forests, especially the Upper Michigan and the Chippewa 
Forests, adults have been observed feeding at much lower tempera- 
tures, indicating that the species are adaptable to local conditions, or 
that various biological races may occur. 
All lamellicorns have their natural enemies, but do not seem to be 
threatened by them. Numerous birds and mammals are known to be 
predators, of which skunks and ground-frequenting birds are out- 
standing. The Food Habits Section of the Fish and Wildlife Service 
of the Department of the Interior has found the gray fox and crow 
to be important predators. As to parasites, observation over a 3- -year 
period on the Huron National Forest showed that less than 0.01 per- 
cent of the larvae are affected by dipterous and hymenopterous forms. 
Some evidence of mites has been noted on both adult and larval 
Phyllophaga, and a fungus of the genus Cordyceps infrequently at- 
tacks these grubs. The subterranean habits of the developmental 
stages and the partial soil-dwelling habits of the adults suggest that 
the lamellicorns may be exposed to relatively few natural enemies. 
For the control of these beetles see page 28. 
SUBFAMILY MELOLONTHINAE 
The Melolonthinae contain the most typical and by far the most 
important leaf chafer beetles. They may be distinguished from the 
other subfamilies by the position of the abdominal spiracles, which in 
part are on the superior portion of the ventral segments, with the rows 
feebly diverging and the last spiracle usually v isible behind the wing 
covers They also have longer legs than most other lamellicorns, and 
the color is generally some shade of brown. 
The genus Dichelonya Harris has no common name, and the hab- 
its of the adults are variable. LD. albicollis (Burm. ), a shiny, green- 
ish beetle about 12 mm. long, feeds on pine foliage, jack pine 
probably being its choice of food. This is the best-known species feed- 
ing on coniferous trees in the East, and it feeds both day and meght, 
but appears to be chiefly diurnal. D. elongata (F.), a smaller and 
somewhat darker species, seems to feed only at at and exclusively 
on the leaves of hardwoods, especially black oak. Several other species 
are known in the Eastern States. Certain western species are pro- 
nounced coniferous feeders. The larvae in this genus are typical, 
comparatively inactive grubs, and never exceed 18 or 20 mm. in length. 
In feeding experiments, they are known to take coniferous rootlets 
