Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1921-04-21
OXFORD EAGLE, OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI.
MAY BEETLES AND
PECAN TREES
Or. W. Harned.)

Every spring the entomology De-
partment receives letters from the
owners of young pecan trees who
have noticed that the buds and leaves
have been eaten off. Each day the
trees are examined and more buds
and leaves have been eaten but still
no insects can be found. However,
if the owner will go out at night with
a lantern he will quite likely be re-
warded by finding the large brown
beetles that are doing the damage on
the trees.
Name and Appearance
The large brown mahogany colored
beetles belong to the genus Lachnos-
terna. They are often called May
beetles OF June bugs Ca large green
beetle is also often called the June
bug.) Some of the smaller species
of the genus Lachnosterna are about
one-half inch long while other spe-
cies are about an inch long. The
different species also vary somewhat
in cOlor,-some are light brown while
! others are almost black.
Habits OF Adults.
These large clumsy beetles remain
hidden during the day on the ground
or just below the surface of the soil
AT dusk they begin flying to various
forest, shade, and fruit trees where
they feed upon the leaves and tender
buds. They seem to prefer such trees
as pecan, ash, elm, willow, oak, hack
berry, and poplar. Before daylight
} they fly to the ground to remain hid
den away from their enemies. Be-
cause the beetles are attracted to
lights they are we'll known to almost
all people. Around electric lights some
times hundreds may be collected dur
ing the warm nights of April and
May. When windows are open these
clumsy beetles come into the houses.
/ When they hit the wall or piece Of
furniture they go spiawling upon the
floor.
Life History.
The eggs are laid on the ground.
The grubs or larvae feed upon the
roots of grass and other plants. Two
or three years are required for their
development to the adult stage. They
pupate in cells in the soil during the
fall and emerge as adults in the
spring of the year The grubs are
the notorious White Grubs that often
do serious damage to the roots OF
strawberries, and to grass in hay
fields, lawns, and pastures
Control Measures.
1.) AS these insects develop in
the soil and feed largely upon the
roots of grass plants, much good can
be accomplished by frequently plow-
ing the soil. When the pecan trees
are planted in or near pastures and
uncultivated fields these insects are
likely to be serious pests. When the
soil is plowed as often as once year
the Nav beetles never become very
numerous. Flowing several times a
ear will almost completely check
these beetles. Not only should the
orchards be plowed but also the near
by fields
(2.) Many of these beetles can be
collected at night by the aid of Ian
terms. They may be hand picked OF
shaken on to sheets on the ground
This is, of course, only practical in the
case of young trees
! (3.) Where the owners are spray
ing the trees for other insects, these
beetles will be killed to some extent
Y bv the use of arsenate of lead or Parl:
] green.
(4.) Hogs will root up and ea
] large numbers of white grubs.
! Please Collect Specimens.
: AS there are a great many differen
species of May beetles, and the var
ious species differ somewhat in theil
distribution, food plants, and life his
tories, the Entomology Department il
anxious to receive specimens from al
j parts of Mississippi. Any assistance
j will be greatly appreciated. Send IL
as many specimens as possible. we
! will be glad to get one or Thousand
at time. Keep in separate boxes the
beetles collected from each kind OF
tree. Give the date on which they
were collected. Where the beetles
are collected around lights make g
note of that fact. We are especially
anxious to receive specimens collect,
ed from pecan trees. Enclose the
beetles in strong boxes, wrap them