azalea are damaged occasionally by the larvae. 
The rose chafer, Macrodactylus subspinosus (F.), is widely dis- 
tributed in eastern United States. Adults are tan to reddish- 
brown, densely covered with dull yellow scales or hairs, and have 
long, reddish-brown legs. They feed on a wide variety of hosts, 
including many species of forest and shade trees (fig. 44). In 
heavily infested areas, they appear in swarms in late May or 
early June and feed first on the opening buds. Later, they attack 
the flowers, fruit, and foliage. The larvae feed mostly on the 
roots of grasses but may also attack the roots of tree seedlings 
where they are abundant. 
The European chafer, Amphimallon majalis (Raz.), an intro- 
duced species first recorded in New York in 1940, now occurs in 
several Eastern States and southern Ontario. The adult is oval- 
shaped, light brown or tan, and about 14 mm. long. A distinguish- 
ing characteristic is its toothless, uncleft, hind tarsal claw. During 
the peak of the flight season they are often seen swarming around 
various trees and tall shrubs. The larvae feed on the roots of a 
wide variety of plants, including the seedlings of such tree species 
as spruce and Douglas-fir. 
The pine chafer, Pachystethus oblivia Horn., occurs from New 
York to the Lake States and south to Georgia. Male beetles have 
the head and pronotum greenish-bronze and the elytra dark tan. 
They are about 6.5 mm. long. Females are light tan in color and 
COURTESY CONN. AGR. EXPT. STA. 
FIGURE 44.—Birch leaf skele- 
tonized by the rose chafer, 
Macrodactylus subspinosus. 
150 
