THE INSECT WORLD. 



20I 



Lachnosterna. They fly at night, are readily attracted to light, 

 and often come into rooms, clumsily and noisily bumping against 

 all sorts of obstructions until they eventually strike something 

 which sends them heavily to the floor. We have many species 

 more or less resembUng each other, and all chestnut brown or 

 yellowish in color. Some years they are very abundant and 

 cause injury by eating the foliage of trees or shrubs. I have 

 found them eating pieces out of the stalks of recently set apples 



Fig. 190. 



May-beetle. — i, pupa in earthen cell ; 2, larva or white grub ; 3, 4, beetle, 

 from side and above. 



and pears, causing the fruit to wilt and drop. The larvae live 

 on grass and other roots, and are typical ' ' white-grubs. ' ' Culti- 

 vated crops are frequently attacked and much injury is some- 

 times caused. The larval period has not yet been satisfactorily 

 determined for all species, and varies, as does also the time for 

 changing to the adult condition. Frequent rotation and fall 

 ploughing are to be recommended, and where grass lands are 

 infested, heavy top-dressings of kainit and nitrate of soda have 

 proved beneficial. Wherever ploughing is done in infested fields, 

 chickens should be encouraged to follow in the furrow to pick 

 up the grubs. 



Where young trees are to be protected from the beetles, jarring 

 them into an umbrella two or three times early in the evening 



