INSECT ENEMIES OF EASTERN FORESTS 175 
Most of the species composing. the genus Polyphylla Harris are 
southern, southwestern, and western in distribution. The group has 
been little studied, although known to contain a number of injurious 
species. These are chiefly in the Southwest, but P. variolosa (Hentz) 
and P. occidentalis (I.) occur in the East, and the ten-lined June 
beetle (P. decemlineata (Say) ) occurs in both the Eastern and West- 
ern States. Under experimental conditions in South Carolina, 2. 0c- 
cidentalis fed heavily on the roots of pine seedlings, although it nor- 
mally feeds on the roots of sedge grass. In the more western of the 
Central States, P. hammondi Lec. is found, and this appears to be one 
of the few species of the genus to oviposit in rotten wood. 
The adults are somewhat larger than the June beetles, and can be 
instantly recognized by the six to seven leaflike plates making up the 
antennal club. Most species are brown-and-white striped, but some are 
all brown. In habits, life history, and economic importance, they 
appear to be very similar to the Phyllophaga. 
The very large number of species, wide distribution, and generally 
destructive habits of the genus Piyllophaga Harris place the June 
beetles first in importance among all lJamellicorn leaf chafers. Well 
over 100 species are known in the region covered by this publication. 
Many of them are most abundant in forest-fringed grasslands, and 
no doubt, as the genus is further studied, other general habitat prefer- 
ences will be determined. 
In this genus, the life cycle by species and according to latitude is 
from 2 to 5 years in duration. Otherwise, the different species are gen- 
erally very similar. All females oviposit in soil, apparently within 
the near vicinity of the food piants of the adult beeties, and the larval 
stage 1s passed in the ground. Larval food consists of living roots and, 
on the basis of recent studies, some species also use decaying material 
in the form of dead roots and other rotting vegetation. - Most species 
pupate in late summer and early fall and therefore overwinter in the 
larval and adult stages. Other species pupate in May and June and 
overwinter only as larvae. The egg stage varies, but averages 2 to 3 
weeks. 3 
The species of Phyllophaga are probably chiefly nocturnal, and 
except for a few known to feed on southern pines and one known to 
feed on cypress, they feed on hardwood leaves. The choice of the 
hardwood feeders is very wide, although the oaks appear to be a gen- 
eral favorite. More or less feeding has been observed on almost all 
common hardwoods, and also on grasses and a variety of herbs, notably 
aster. The food choices by species are, of course, less variable, but 
most forms take the foliage of a number of different trees. Only a 
small number of Phy//ophaga appear to be restricted to leaves of a few 
species, and no form seems to be limited to one or two foods, with the 
possible exception of P. tavodii Langs., which feeds on cypress. The 
feeding patterns of the genus can be distinguished from those of some 
other genera by the fact that the leaves are eaten off squarely, including 
the larger veins or ribs, whereas Serica, Macrodactylus, and other 
small forms do not usually cut the ribs. For further information 
the reader should consult Luginbill (277) ; Sim ($78,379) ; and Travis 
(411, 412, 413). In the following annotated list the best-known 
forest inhabiting Phyllophaga are briefly discussed. 
Phyllophaga drahkei is known from eastern Canada south to 
Georgia and Texas, but apparently is not found along the southern 
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