phyllophaga is a very large genus ( more than 260 species ) of new world scarab beetles in the subfamily melolonthinae .

common names for this genus and many other related genera in the subfamily melolonthinae are may beetles , june bugs , and june beetles .

they range in size from 12 to 35 mm ( 0.47 to 1.38 in ) and are blackish or reddish-brown in colour , without prominent markings , and often rather hairy ventrally .

these beetles are nocturnal , coming to lights in great numbers .

the generic name is derived from the greek words phyllon ( φυλλον ) , which means " leaf " , and phagos ( φαγος ) , which means " eater " , with a plural ending .

phyllophaga

figure 7 . a pyrgotid fly , a natural enemy of white grubs , phyllophaga spp .
common name : white grubs scientific name : phyllophaga spp . ( insecta : coleoptera : scarabaeidae )
effect of a meridic diet on the larval development of phyllophaga obsoleta ( coleoptera : melolonthidae ) .
species composition and seasonal occurrence of phyllophaga ( coleoptera : scarabaeidae ) infesting intensely managed bermudagrass in oklahoma .
figure 4 . typical white grub of the genus phyllophaga . photograph by john l . capinera , university of florida .
ebscohost | 65266655 | effect of a meridic diet on the larval development of phyllophaga obsoleta ( coleoptera : melolonthidae ) .
species composition and seasonal occurrence of phyllophaga ( coleoptera : scarabaeidae ) infesting intensely managed bermudagrass in oklahoma . - pubmed - ncbi
figure 8 . white grub , phyllophaga spp . , infected with cordyceps fungus . photograph by jim kalisch , university of nebraska - lincoln .
ueckert , d . 1979 . impact of a white grub ( phyllophaga crinita ) on a shortgrass community and evaluation of selected rehabilitation practices .
phyllophaga spp . and related insects are distributed throughout the united states and canada . however , the distribution of individual species usually is more restricted .
luginbill p sr , painter hr . 1953 . rev . phyllophaga . u . s . department of agriculture technical bulletin 1060 . 102 pp .
figure 3 . typical june beetle , adult of
white grub ,
of the genus phyllophaga . photograph by james castner , university of florida .
figure 6 . a pelecinid wasp , a natural enemy of white grubs , phyllophaga spp . photograph by paul m . choate , university of florida .
larvae of phyllophaga spp . ( coleoptera : scarabaeidae ) are important turfgrass pests in many regions of the united states . however , not all of the species associated with turfgrass are known , including species most likely to be of economic concern in oklahoma turfgrasses , especially bermuda grass . this study documented the species composition and seasonal occurrence of phyllophaga associated with high maintenance bermuda grass turf in oklahoma over a 2 - yr period . in 2005 and 2006 , adult phyllophaga spp . were collected with blacklight traps from selected golf courses throughout oklahoma phyllophaga larvae were obtained from bermuda grass stands at selected sod production facilities adjacent to or near the light traps . we collected 20 species of phyllophaga beetles in light traps , and nine species of phyllophaga larvae from turfgrass . peak flight periods for most species occurred in may and june , but some were captured as early as mid - april and others as late as september . the cytochrome c oxidase i ( coi ) gene from adults and larvae was amplified using polymerase chain reaction , sequenced , and then used to compare larval dna against dna from identified adults . these results confirmed the validity of using coi sequences to identify species of some phyllophaga larvae . the identifications will aid in optimizing the timing of insecticide applications against phyllophaga white grubs as discussed .
to cite this page : knight , s . 2001 .
phyllophaga crinita
( on - line ) , animal diversity web . accessed july 09 , 2018 at urltoken
riley , e . g . 1988 . the phyllophaga of louisiana ( coleoptera : scarabaeidae ) . unpublished thesis , louisiana state university , baton rouge . xiv + 436 pp .
frankie , g . , m . gaylor . 1979 . the relationship of rainfall to adult flight activity ; and of soil moisture to oviposition behavior and egg and first instar survival in phyllophaga crinita . .
rolston lh , barlow t . 1980 . insecticide control of a white grub , phyllophaga ephilida say , ( coleoptera : scarabaeidae ) on sweet potato . journal of the georgia entomological society 15 : 445 - 449 .
true white grubs are the larvae of may beetles ( also called june beetles ) found in the genus phyllophaga , of which there are over 100 different species . phyllophaga larvae and other larvae of the family scarabaeidae are often referred to as
white grubs
, including larvae of the japanese beetle ( popillia japonica newman ) , annual white grubs ( cyclocephala spp . ) , and the green june beetle ( cotinis nitida linnaeus ) .
woodruff re , beck bm . 1989 . the scarab beetles of florida ( usa ) : ( coleoptera : scarabaeidae ) part ii . the may or june beetles ( genus phyllophaga ) . arthropods of florida and neighboring land areas 13 : 1 - 226 .
figure 2 . white grub raster patterns : ( a ) japanese beetle , ( b ) cyclocephala grub , and ( c ) phyllophaga grub . ( grub illustration modified from the 2000 corn and soybean field guide , publication id - 179 , purdue university cooperative extension service , west lafayette , indiana
phyllophaga vandinei smyth ( coleoptera : scarabaeidae ) is an important pest of tropical fruit trees on the island of puerto rico . the polyphagous and nocturnal adults are defoliators and the larvae can cause severe damage to seedlings by feeding on the roots ( wolcott 1948 ) . the adults emerge at the beginning of the rainy season in april or may to mate and feed on a wide variety of hosts . they continue to feed throughout the summer and , in some locations , a second population peak appears in august - october ( jenkins and goenaga 2008 ) . phyllophaga vandinei was a significant pest of sugar cane , saccharum officinarum l . ( poaceae ) , when sugar cane was cultivated on the island and researchers tried numerous methods to control p . vandinei . in the 1920 ' s the cane toad , bufo marinus , was introduced as a measure of control and it is reported that within a few years the cane toad had dramatically decreased numbers of phyllophaga spp . on the island ( wolcott 1948 ) . however , now the cane toad and p . vandinei coexist , both in abundant numbers and , although , based on stomach content of toads , the cane toad appears to consume many phyllophaga adults , phyllophaga populations remain high . endemic to puerto rico , p . vandinei had a variety of native predators and parasitoids associated with it . these included flies in the family bombyliidae and tachinidae , and the larvae of pyrophorus luminosus ( wolcott 1948 ) , but we have seen no evidence that these parasitoids and predators are having any impact on phyllophaga populations ( jenkins , unpublished data ) . it is possible that the introduction of the cane toad so reduced phyllophaga populations that many key predators and parasitoids have not recovered , though py . luminosus remains common ( jenkins , unpublished data ) . oddly , although there are several species of scoliidae and tiphiidae in puerto rico , historically these have always been found in very low numbers and are very rarely associated with p . vandinei ( wolcott 1948 ) and this continues to be the case ( jenkins , unpublished data ) . assays conducted on several entomopathogenic nematode species against the larvae of p . vandinei , have shown these to be ineffective so far ( jenkins , unpublished data ) . biological control for this important pest is lacking .
sp . was not found in any pitfall trap samples . these results show that ants are key predators of phyllophaga eggs , and that more egg predation occurs in no - till than in conventional - till maize . the results also suggest that the fewer number of white grubs in the no - till maize may be due to greater egg predation .
white grubs , which are the larvae of june beetles , spend up to three years in the soil , developing from egg to adult . the common june beetle is one among many phyllophaga spp . that are native to north america , all referred to as may or june beetles and their larvae as white grubs . the common june beetle occurs throughout canada and almost everywhere in the united states .
identifying what grub species is present in the field is very important ; phyllophaga or japanese beetle grubs may cause damage to corn seedlings , while cyclocephala grubs will not likely cause economic damage . to identify white grubs , you need to examine the rastor patternthe pattern of small hairs and spines on the underside of the last abdominal segment ( figure 1 ) . different species of grubs have different rastor patterns .
the japanese beetle has an arrangement of hairs that form a v - shaped pattern ( figure 2a ) . these lines of hairs usually form a v that is distinct in the center of the pattern . the cyclocephala grub has no distinct pattern of hairs on its rastor ( figure 2b ) . the phyllophaga grub has hairs on its center arranged in nearly parallel rows , resembling an open zipper ( figure 2c ) .
june bugs - - also referred to as june beetles - - are common insects in north america and other parts of the world . more than 100 species exist in genus phyllophaga . species differ in aspects such as habitat , seasonal occurrence , distribution and length . however , most adult june bugs range from a half - inch to an inch in length . the reddish - brown insects are nocturnal , which explains why they ' re attracted to light . most june bugs have a life cycle of approximately three years .
the phyllophaga life cycles vary somewhat because some species complete their growth in one year , while others require as much as four years . the common life cycle of the more destructive and abundant of these beetles extends over three years . the adults mate in the evening and , at dawn , females return to the ground to deposit 15 to 20 eggs , 1 to 8 inches deep in the soil . since the adults are attracted to trees to feed , they tend to lay most eggs in the higher portions of sod near wooded areas .
abstract : phyllophaga obsoleta blanchard is a key pest in mexican agriculture . its chemical communication dynamics are partially known . a system of monitoring based on sex pheromones helps reduce the amount of damage it can cause as
white grubs .
to identify the sex pheromone requires many individuals , especially virgin females . meridic diet and check diet were used to rear larvae . both substrates were supplied with food for first - and second - instar larvae of p . obsoleta . the effect of each diet on larval survival , weight , and instar transition was evaluated . on day 175 , the meridic diet resulted in more larval weight gain and faster development into third instars than did the check diet . the meridic diet is effective for rearing p . obsoleta in a laboratory .
invertebrate iridescent virus 6 ( iiv6 ) was determined to cause infection in phyllophaga vandinei smyth ( coleoptera : scarabaeidae ) through a range of modes of transmissions . this is the first evidence of iiv6 infection in p . vandinei that caused both patent and sub - lethal infections in larvae and adults . mortality rates were determined to be ∼30 % when virus inoculum was injected into larvae or adults . adults injected with virus showed dramatically altered behavior ; injected beetles were not observed feeding or mating compared with adults injected with buffer or adults that were not injected . tissue collected from infected adults resulted in infection when injected into healthy adults , as confirmed with pcr . pcr also confirmed that frass of infected larvae and adults contained virus , and when reconstituted frass from infected individuals was injected into healthy adults or larvae they become infected . healthy adults could be infected by coming into contact with soil or plant material that had been exposed to infected adults as much as two weeks prior to introduction of nonvirus exposed adults . although relatively low mortality resulted when adults or larvae were injected with the virus , the demonstration of horizontal transmission , potentially through frass of infected individuals , identifies a mode of transmission that may be exploited as a potential management tool to reduce p . vandinei .
adult phyllophaga vandinei ( 30 of each sex ) were injected with the iiv6 virus , injected with buffer , or were left untreated . each group of adults receiving the same treatment was placed in a screen cage ( 55 cm × 55 cm × 55 cm ) with moistened vermiculite to depth of 10 cm and 3 seedling m . zapota trees . cages were stored in a greenhouse on the premises of the tropical agriculture research station in mayaguez , pr ( 25–30° c ) . the cages were inspected using a flashlight between the hours of 19 : 30 and 20 : 30 pm at 24 hours , 48 hours , 90 hours , 174 hours , 222 hours , and 294 hours post injecting and the number of adults on the foliage and number of pairs mating were recorded . preliminary trials indicated that light exposure did not noticeably disturb mating or feeding behaviour ; adults exposed to light continued mating or feeding as long as adults that remained in the dark or were exposed to red filter light . cadavers were returned to the lab and infection with iiv6 was confirmed using pcr . at the end of one month foliage was removed from all of the seedlings in each cage and the area of foliage removed was calculated by tracing the leaf on graph paper and calculating the area of the whole leaf and the area of consumed foliage . in some cases , where only a stem or a midrib vein remained , it was necessary to estimate the area removed based on an average area of 10 whole leaves from a plant . each treatment was replicated 5 times . the mean percentage of leaf area removed was compared among the treatments using analysis of variance ( proc glm ) and student - newman - keuls multiple range test ( sas 2003 ) . because the number of active adults was measured on several occasions , alpha levels were adjusted for each date according to holm ( 1979 ) .
insect iridescent virus type 6 , has been reported to infect a variety of agricultural pests ( smith 1976 ) . although iiv6 has been reported to cause substantial mortality in the boll weevil and cotton aphid ( mclaughlin et al . 1972 ; bilimoria 2001 ) , mortality , though significant , was rather low when injected into adult and larval phyllophaga vandinei . this concurs with most studies ( williams 2008 ) . at first glance , this does not bode well for the virus ' s potential as a biocontrol agent . however , modelling ( bonsall et al . 2005 ) and experiments ( sait et al . 1994 ) have shown that sublethal effects of pathogens or parasites on their hosts can have subtle , but important , impacts on the fitness of the host . for instance , aedes aegypti with covert infections of iiv6 experienced reduced reproductive rates and longevity ( marina et al . 2003 ) . our studies have shown that infected adults can spread the virus to healthy individuals , even after a period of two weeks . frass from infected individuals resulted in infection when injected in healthy individuals . carter ( 1972 ) also was able to demonstrate that frass from infected tipula sp . larvae contained the virus , but for infection to occur the frass had to be injected into the hemolymph ; larvae that were exposed to frass from infected individuals did not develop overt symptoms . trials with larval fall armyworm , spodoptera frugiperda , indicated that consumption of virus particles alone or in frass from infected larvae did not result in infection , but cannibalism of infected cadavers did ( williams and hernandez 2006 ) . we were interested in whether the virus would be passed from infected females to their offspring , but were not able to recover any eggs from infected females and this has an obvious impact on fitness . it is not clear whether this was a function of physiological effects of the virus or the absence of mating behavior .
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species are best identified by examination of genitalia ( both males and females can be used ) . some external details that can aid in identification [ based on a comment by blaine mathison ] are :
american beetles , volume ii : polyphaga : scarabaeoidea through curculionoidea arnett , r . h . , jr . , m . c . thomas , p . e . skelley and j . h . frank . ( eds . ) . 2002 . crc press llc , boca raton , fl .
the scarab beetles of florida robert woodruff . 1973 . florida department of agriculture and consumer services .
the scarabaeoid beetles of nebraska brett c . ratcliffe & m . j . paulsen . 2008 . university of nebraska state museum , vol 22 , 570 pp .
may beetles of the united states and canada luginbill and painter . 1953 . usda technical bulletin no . 1060 .
scarab beetles ( coleoptera : scarabaeidae ) of south carolina phillip j . harpootlian . 2001 . clemson university public service .
revision of the scarabaeid beetles of the phyllophagan subgenus listrochelus of the united states , with discussion . . . l . w . saylor . 1940 . proceedings of the united states national museum , 89 ( 3095 ) : 59 - 130 .
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observed emerging from st . augustinegrass lawn and adjacent bermudagrass field by thousands .
- n . texas
- rare ; range : c . to w . tx ; size : 12 . 5 - 14 mm ( also note lack of elytral furrows )
leconte , j . l . 1853 . description of twenty new species of coleoptera inhabiting the united states . proceedings of the academy of natural sciences of philadelphia , 6 : 226 - 235 .
an annotated checklist of the scarabaeoidea of texas . edward g . riley & charles s . wolfe . 2003 . southwestern entomologist , supplement . 37 pp .
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figure 1 . adult japanese beetle , popillia japonica newman . photograph by james castner , university of florida .
figure 2 . adult green june beetle , cotinis nitida linnaeus . photograph by john l . capinera , university of florida .
adults : may beetles are about 12 to 25 mm long . most adults are yellow to dark reddish - brown to black , robust , oblong , glossy beetles . some , such as the green june beetle , are more brightly colored .
larvae : the length of the larvae varies from 20 to 45 mm . larvae are white with a c - shaped body , brown head , and three pairs of legs . the hind portion of the abdomen is slightly enlarged and appears darker due to the soil particles showing through the body wall . two parallel rows of spines seen on the underside of the last abdominal segment distinguish true white grubs from similar - looking larvae .
pupa : the length of the pupae varies from 20 to 24 mm long . the pupa is usually white , faint yellow , or dark brown in color . eggs : eggs are usually 1 . 5 to 3 mm in diameter and found encased in soil aggregates . they are small , spherical , pearly white eggs that darken just before hatching .
eggs hatch about three weeks later into young larvae that feed upon roots and decaying vegetation throughout the summer and , in autumn , migrate downward ( to a depth of up to 1 . 5 meters ) and remain inactive until the following spring . the greatest amount of damage occurs as the larvae move near the soil surface to feed on the roots of the plants . the next autumn the larvae again migrate deep into the soil to overwinter , returning near the soil surface the following spring to feed on plant roots until they are fully grown in late spring . these grubs then form oval earthen cells and pupate . the adult beetles emerge from the pupal stage a few weeks later , but they do not leave the ground . the beetles overwinter in the soil , emerging the following year in may or june when feeding , mating , and egg - laying take place .
although white grubs can be a problem every year , the most serious damage occurs in regular three year cycles . the greatest damage to crops occurs the year after the appearance of the adults . during the years of heavy may beetle infestation , deep - rooted legumes , such as alfalfa or clovers , should be planted . if corn or small grains are present , every effort should be made to keep the field free of grass and weed growth to reduce the number of beetle eggs laid . the year following heavy flights of may beetles , planting corn or potatoes should be avoided in fields that were previously under sod or grass .
late spring or early autumn plowing destroys many larvae , pupae , and adults in the soil and also exposes the insects to predators , such as birds and skunks . for this cultural practice to be effective , plowing must occur before the grubs migrate below the plow depth . no - tillage or reduced tillage crop management encourages grub populations .
natural enemies that control these white grubs include parasitic wasps and flies in the genera tiphia and myzinum ( hymenoptera : tiphiidae ) , and pelecinus polyturator drury ( hymenoptera : pelecinidae ) , and the fly , pyrgota undata ( diptera : pyrgotidae ) . also , cordyceps fungus infects the grubs .
inoculating the soil with bacterial spores of bacillus popilliae dutky and bacillus lentimorbus dutky aids in reducing populations . these products are available commercially .
for insecticide recommendations for white grubs , see specific crop recommendations in the florida insect management guide .
buss ea . ( 2006 ) . white grub management in turf . edis . ( 29 may 2014 ) .
davidson rh , lyon wf . 1979 . insect pests of farm , garden , and orchard . john wiley and sons . new york . pp . 126 - 128 .
fasulo tr . ( 2002 ) . turfgrass insects 1 and 2 . bug tutorials . university of florida / ifas . cd - rom . sw 163 .
fasulo tr , kern w , koehler pg , short de . ( 2005 ) . pests in and around the home . version 2 . 0 . university of florida / ifas . cd - rom . sw 126 .
jaques he . 1951 . how to know the beetles . wm . c . brown company . dubuque , iowa . pp . 241 .
metcalf rl , metcalf ra . 1993 . destructive and useful insects : their habits and control . mcgraw - hill book company , inc . new york .
mizell rf , fasulo tr , short de . ( 2002 ) . woodybug : pest and beneficial arthropods of southeastern u . s . woody ornamentals . university of florida / ifas . cd - rom . sw 119 .
north carolina corn information . ( 1998 ) . white grubs . ( no longer available online ) .
ritcher po . 1966 . white grubs and their allies : a study of north american scarabaeoid larvae . oregon state monograph studies in entomology 4 : 1 - 219 .
sorensen ka . ( may 1988 ) . insect pests of vegetables . north carolina agricultural extension service ag - 404 . ( 29 may 2014 ) .
stehr fw . 1991 . immature insects ( volume 2 ) . kendall / hunt publishing co . dubuque , iowa . pp . 378 - 385 .
tashiro h . 1973 . bionomics and control of root feeding insect pests : grubs and billbugs . bulletin of the entomological society of america 19 : 92 - 94 .
, james castner and paul m . choate , entomology and nematology department , university of florida ; jim kalisch ,
) . these red - brown beetles commonly appear in the northern hemisphere during warm spring evenings and are attracted to lights .
the heavy - bodied june beetles vary from 12 to 25 mm ( 0 . 5 to 1 inch ) and have shiny wing covers ( elytra ) . they feed on foliage and
, are about 25 mm ( 1 inch ) long and live in the soil . they can destroy crops ( e . g . ,
each female buries between 50 and 200 small pearl - like eggs in the soil . after three years of feeding on plant roots , the larvae pupate , emerge as adults in late summer , and then bury themselves again for the winter . in the spring the adults emerge once more and feed on available foliage . adults live less than one year .
) . the female fly lays an egg under the beetle’s elytra , where it hatches and feeds on the beetle , eventually killing it . some small mammals , such as
, are known to feed on the grubs , and june beetle larvae are considered excellent fish bait .
( for information on the related green june beetle [ cotinus nitida ] or the ten - lined june beetle [ polyphylla decemlineata ] , see flower chafer . )
…larvae of many melolonthinae ( june beetle s , chafers ) , for example , feed on grass roots . the dynastinae ( rhinoceros , hercules , and elephant beetles ) are often pests of palms , killing them by destroying the growing points . lumber , furniture , and other items made from wood are sometimes severely damaged by several groups of beetles…
flower , the reproductive portion of any plant in the division magnoliophyta ( angiospermae ) , a group commonly called flowering plants or angiosperms . as popularly used , the term “flower” especially applies when part or all of the reproductive structure is distinctive in colour and form . …
larva , stage in the development of many animals , occurring after birth or hatching and before the adult form is reached . these immature , active forms are structurally different from the adults and are adapted to a different environment . …
corn , ( zea mays ) , cereal plant of the grass family ( poaceae ) and its edible grain . the domesticated crop originated in the americas and is one of the most widely distributed of the world’s food crops . corn is used as livestock feed , as human food , as…
chafer , , ( subfamily melolonthinae ) , any of a group of beetles in the family scarabaeidae ( insect order coleoptera ) . adult leaf chafers ( macrodactylus ) eat foliage , whereas grubs feed underground on plant roots . the adult female deposits her eggs in the soil , and the larvae live underground for two…
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distribution : antigua , argentina , bahamas , barbados , bolivia , belize , brazil , canada , colombia , costa rica , cuba , dominican republic , ecuador , el salvador , french guiana , grand cayman , guadeloupe , guatemala , guyana , haiti , hispaniola , honduras , jamaica , martinique , mexico , montserrat , nicaragua , panama , paraguay , peru , puerto rico , santo domingo , st . barthelemey , st . croix , st . kitts - nevis , st . lucia , st . martin , st . vincent , trinidad , uruguay , usa , us virgin islands , venezuela .
revision or synopsis : luginbill , p . and h . r . painter . 1953 . may beetles of the united states and canada . u . s . department of agriculture technical bulletin no . 1060 : 1 - 102 , 78 plates .
author : arthur v . evans generated on : 15 / sep / 2005 . . . . . last modified : 03 / oct / 2005 university of nebraska state museum - division of entomology
has been reported in texas , louisiana , mississippi , alabama , iowa , and missouri . within mexico it has been found in tamaulipas , nuevo leon , coahuila , and chihuahua . however ,
is predominately reported in texas and tamaulipas ( dr . luis rodriquez , personal communication ) .
is primarily found in temperate grasslands , especially those containing bermuda grass , st . augustine grass , and tall fescue or crops of corn and sorghum . the larval form , or white grub , lives and develops in the soil found below these types of vegetation . the white grub prefers and has a better chance of survival in moist soil .
ranges in size from 1 . 3 to 1 . 7 cm long . this heavy - bodied , reddish brown beetle has six wiry legs , and a double pair of wings . the anterior leathery pair , also known as elytra , serve as covers for the hindwings . the elytra are held out to the sides during flight although they do not participate in flight itself . the hindwings are the primary structures responsible for the mechanics of flight . larvae of
are white grubs . the white grub is c - shaped with a brown to orange head and a white body . dark - colored digested material can be seen in the transparent abdominal segment of the grub . the white grub ' s three pairs of true legs appear on each of the first three segments behind its head .
( crocker and merchant , 1995 ; cronholm , et al . , 1998 ; grzimek , 1972 )
typically require one year to complete their life cycle . adults begin to emerge from the soil in late spring or summer . after mating , the females tunnel 5 . 4 - 13 . 5 cm into the soil and deposit their eggs . each female can lay about thirty to forty eggs . within three to four weeks , the small white grubs hatch . these larvae develop through three stages , or instars . the first and second instars last about three weeks . the final larval instar remains in the soil throughout the fall and the winter feeding on grass root systems . in spring and early summer the pupal stage follows the third - instar . inside the puparium , the white grub transforms into an adult beetle eight to sixteen centimeters below the ground . adults then emerge from pupae three weeks later .
emerges from the soil in late spring or summer it begins its mating flight . this flight usually begins at night after a significant rainfall or irrigation and may last up to three weeks . the process of mating begins with the male hanging onto the females back in a piggyback position using his mandibles . eventually the male allows himself to fall over backward . the male is then pulled around on his back by the female for the duration of copulation , which may last for several hours . once mating has taken place the female proceeds to lay her eggs in the soil while the male continues his flight .
( cronholm , et al . , 1998 ; drees and jackman , 1998 ; grzimek , 1972 ; klots and klots , 1959 ; ueckert , 1979 )
flying clumsily about . they are strongly attracted to lights , causing them to bang and buzz against window screens , enter homes , and cover walkways and porches as they helplessly roll on their backs with their legs in the air . their lack of ability to fly well results in
barely reaching eight kilometers per hour . they only produce forty - five to fifty wingbeats per second , while in comparison , the mosquito beats its wings 280 - 310 times per second .
is a herbivorous night feeder that eats the foliage of broadleaf and coniferous trees , often causing extensive defoliation . larvae feed on the roots of grasses often reducing the vegetation ' s chance of survival . the most common grasses fed upon are bermuda grass , st . augustine grass , and tall fescue . larvae will also feed on the roots of weeds , vegetable transplants , and ornamental plants . crops of corn , sorghum , and sugarcane can also be negatively affected by the feeding of white grubs .
benefits humans very little . its most significant contribution would be that it serves as a good fish bait . bass have been known to take them enthusiastically in place of the typical worm .
does not have a serious economic impact . its buzzing , strong attraction to lights , and clumsy flight causes many humans to regard them as pests . the adult also feeds on foliage causing an eyesore for gardeners , although they cause very little damage to the health of the plant .
is a significant agricultural threat primarily to lawn owners and farmers . the white grub has been considered among the most destructive of soil - dwelling insects . the results of white grub eating habits can be deadly to lawns of bermuda and st . augustine grass causing them to turn yellow and literally be rolled up . the grub can also do damage to vegetables , and ornamental plants . corn , sorghum , and sugarcane crops can also be adversely affected , causing great economic loss for farmers .
shelby knight ( author ) , southwestern university , stephanie fabritius ( editor ) , southwestern university .
living in the nearctic biogeographic province , the northern part of the new world . this includes greenland , the canadian arctic islands , and all of the north american as far south as the highlands of central mexico .
having body symmetry such that the animal can be divided in one plane into two mirror - image halves . animals with bilateral symmetry have dorsal and ventral sides , as well as anterior and posterior ends . synapomorphy of the bilateria .
having a body temperature that fluctuates with that of the immediate environment ; having no mechanism or a poorly developed mechanism for regulating internal body temperature .
a large change in the shape or structure of an animal that happens as the animal grows . in insects ,
incomplete metamorphosis
is when young animals are similar to adults and change gradually into the adult form , and
complete metamorphosis
is when there is a profound change between larval and adult forms . butterflies have complete metamorphosis , grasshoppers have incomplete metamorphosis .
the area in which the animal is naturally found , the region in which it is endemic .
that region of the earth between 23 . 5 degrees north and 60 degrees north ( between the tropic of cancer and the arctic circle ) and between 23 . 5 degrees south and 60 degrees south ( between the tropic of capricorn and the antarctic circle ) .
a terrestrial biome . savannas are grasslands with scattered individual trees that do not form a closed canopy . extensive savannas are found in parts of subtropical and tropical africa and south america , and in australia .
a grassland with scattered trees or scattered clumps of trees , a type of community intermediate between grassland and forest . see also tropical savanna and grassland biome .
a terrestrial biome found in temperate latitudes ( > 23 . 5° n or s latitude ) . vegetation is made up mostly of grasses , the height and species diversity of which depend largely on the amount of moisture available . fire and grazing are important in the long - term maintenance of grasslands .
crocker , r . , m . merchant . 1995 . white grubs in texas turfgrass .
cronholm , g . , a . knutson , r . parker , g . teetes , b . pendleton . 1998 . managing insect and mite pests of texas sorghum .
disclaimer : the animal diversity web is an educational resource written largely by and for college students . adw doesn ' t cover all species in the world , nor does it include all the latest scientific information about organisms we describe . though we edit our accounts for accuracy , we cannot guarantee all information in those accounts . while adw staff and contributors provide references to books and websites that we believe are reputable , we cannot necessarily endorse the contents of references beyond our control .
this material is based upon work supported by the national science foundation grants drl 0089283 , drl 0628151 , due 0633095 , drl 0918590 , and due 1122742 . additional support has come from the marisla foundation , um college of literature , science , and the arts , museum of zoology , and information and technology services .
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doskocil jp 1 , walker nr , bell ge , marek sm , reinert ja , royer ta .
department of entomology and plant pathology , oklahoma state university , 127 nrc , stillwater , ok 74078 - 3033 , usa .
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june bug life begins with the egg . females hide about 2 to 5 inches deep in the soil , where they lay eggs during midsummer . they lay approximately 60 to 75 eggs over a two - week period . the eggs are elliptical initially but become spherical as the larvae develop . the larvae growth inside the eggs is sometimes referred to as the pupal stage . in about two and a half weeks , the eggs hatch into grubs , which are white in color .
upon hatching from the eggs , june bugs enter their initial larval instar . at this stage the bugs are simply brown - headed white grubs . they undergo three instars and molt twice before pupating . the larval stage is the most destructive stage of the insects . the grubs have excessively high appetites and feed constantly . larval june bugs feed in warm summers and under the soil during winter . during their last larval instar the june bugs dig deep into the soil to shield themselves from freezing winter temperatures . it ' s during this period when the larvae pupate . while some species develop into pupa within one season , others feed for a number of summers before developing into pupa .
this is the last stage before the june bugs mature into adulthood . the brown pupa june bugs start to change colour to metallic green while gradually assuming their adult shape . this stage lasts for three weeks before they fully mature into adults .
adult june bugs show up later in summer and spring after around three weeks in pupa stage . while they mainly feed on the leaves of oak and walnut trees , among other plants ' foliage , they cause very little damage . however , they are a nuisance - - especially at night , in the presence of light . female june bugs burrow in the soil and lay eggs to complete the cycle . despite the fact that june bugs are nocturnal , most of them die from long exposure to light .
kendal elizabeth has been a professional writer and editor since 2001 . she has specialized in writing pet - related topics , home decor and gardening . her work has appeared on several online and offline publication . elizabeth holds a bachelor of science in animal science with a minor in marine biology from cornell university .
elizabeth , kendal .
life cycles of june bugs .
animals - urltoken , http : / / animals . urltoken / life - cycles - june - bugs - 6317 . html . accessed 09 july 2018 .
elizabeth , kendal . ( n . d . ) . life cycles of june bugs . animals - urltoken . retrieved from http : / / animals . urltoken / life - cycles - june - bugs - 6317 . html
elizabeth , kendal .
life cycles of june bugs
accessed july 09 , 2018 . urltoken
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adults are usually tan to reddish brown or black beetles but a few species are brightly coloured and metallic .
larvae are cream - coloured , c - shaped grubs with brown heads . size varies depending on species , but most are 20 - 24 mm in length .
eggs are 1 . 5 - 3 mm in diameter depending on species . they are initially white but darken before hatching .
larvae feed on the roots of many woody and herbaceous ornamental trees and shrubs . adults may feed on foliage .
adults usually emerge in mid spring and early summer . most species are nocturnal , sometimes mating in swarms at night . eggs are generally laid in soil and larvae feed on roots on grasses and plants until late fall when they burrow deeper in soil to overwinter . feeding resumes in the spring . larvae may take up to 3 years to mature depending on the species . pupation usually occurs in early spring .
in minnesota , they are mostly found in the twin cities metropolitan area and in southeast minnesota .
adults feed on the leaves of plants between the veins , leaving a skeleton of brown fibers where the leaves used to be .
grubs chew off grass roots and large dead patches of grass develop in grub infested areas .
the japanese beetle is a serious pest of turf and ornamental plants . grubs feed on the roots of grass and adults feed on the leaves of more than 300 plant species .
japanese beetles were first found in united states in 1916 , after being accidentally introduced into new jersey . until that time , this insect was known to occur only in japan where it is not a major pest . it is controlled in the eastern united states by soil - inhabiting protozoans that are not present in minnesota .
there are a number of related beetles that also feed on the roots of grasses . in minnesota , the japanese beetle is the worst pest , so it ' s important to identify which species a grub belongs to as management is not the same for all species .
sides of abdomen have five white patches of hairs , and tip of abdomen has two patches of white hair .
japanese beetles ( popillia japonica ) spend the winter as grubs in the soil of turf grass areas .
in spring , they move near the soil surface , where they finish feeding and pupate .
they emerge as adults in late june or early july and can fly a long distance to suitable feeding sites .
when an adult starts feeding on a plant , it emits a pheromone that attracts other beetles , so that beetles will come and join it on that plant . this behavior results in large numbers of beetles feeding on one plant while neighboring plants are left alone .
the female releases pheromones to attract males . after mating , adult females lay up to 60 eggs in turf grass .
the eggs hatch in about one to two weeks , and the grubs feed on the roots of grasses and other plants .
as the soil starts to cool in the fall , the grubs dig deeper in the soil , where they overwinter .
adults primarily feed in july and august , although you can find some activity into the fall .
adult japanese beetles feed on the leaves of many different plants including birches , basswood , apples , raspberries and soybeans . they feed on the leaves between the veins , so when they are finished , they leave a skeleton of brown fibers where the leaves used to be , a type of damage referred to as skeletonizing .
damage to fruit , such as raspberries , can occur where the beetles eat flowers along with the fruit or if the beetles kill so many leaves that the plant is weakened and cannot support fruit .
grubs chew off grass roots and reduce the ability of grass to take up enough water to withstand stresses of hot , dry weather . as a result , large dead patches of grass develop in grub infested areas .
these dead patches can be rolled back like a carpet to expose the lack of turf roots . grubs can be found in adjacent green areas . early recognition of the problem can prevent this destruction .
starlings and crows , as well as moles , shrews , and skunks may be seen digging up grubs , also damaging the turf .
grub populations between 7 and 15 per square foot can cause significant damage to non - irrigated turf . irrigated turf can withstand a higher grub count because the increase in water compensates for the roots chewed off by the grub .
physical removal is a viable option for small fruit patches or a few trees or shrubs .
hand picking is most effective as the beetles first arrive , before they release their aggregation pheromones to attract others .
the best time to handpick beetles is in the evening and early morning , when they are less active .
don ' t use japanese beetle traps . research has shown that traps attract more japanese beetles than they catch , and will typically cause more damage to plants in a garden .
neem extracts like azadractin have been shown to provide short term protection , especially if only small to moderate numbers of japanese beetles are present .
there are several contact , residual insecticides including permethrin , bifenthrin , malathion or carbaryl .
timing is critical to control grub infestations . the best time to apply insecticides for grubs is from mid - july until early september . granular applied insecticides distributed on soil with a spreader are usually the best insecticides for japanese beetles .
there are conventional insecticides that kill grubs ( imidacloprid ) and biorational insecticides that conserve beneficial insects in turf ( halofenozide and acelepryn ) .
caution : mention of a pesticide or use of a pesticide label is for educational purposes only . always follow the pesticide label directions attached to the pesticide container you are using . remember , the label is the law .
when treating fruits or vegetables , be sure that the plant you wish to treat is listed on the label of the pesticide you intend to use . also be sure to observe the number of days between pesticide application and when you can harvest your crop .
these diagnostic tools will guide you step - by - step through diagnosing a plant problem or identifying a weed or insect .
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