May beetle (beetle) - insects belonging to the order Coleoptera, old beetle scarab family.This genus is plentiful enough, it includes about 40 species.One species, namely the eastern Melolontha, particularly common in our country.
It is a large beetle.The length of the convex-oval body 2-3.5 cm. It is covered with chitinous shell, employee protection.The color can be red-red (such individuals prefer open spaces) or black (these are found in the shaded areas).
The body, head and pronotum beetle covered different along the length of hair-like scales.On the head are located antennae ending fanlike dismemberment.May beetle has three pairs of walking legs, hairy claws and ends, through which it is able to be kept for the foliage and tree bark.The front legs are much stronger than the other two pairs, ie. A. Of the beetles dig holes to lay eggs.Although the beetle has elytra and aircraft wings, fly it with difficulty, slowly.
oriented in space by a well-developed senses chafer.Khrushchev could observe everything through compound eyes made up of thousands of ordinary holes located on both sides of the head.Antennae Beetle finds food, which is capable of searching for almost a kilometer flown.May beetle feeds on plant food through mouthparts biting type.For food choices meet palps (mouth parts).They beetle feels food and feeds it into his mouth.
May beetles - insects dioecious.Males die after mating.The females burrow into the soil to a depth of 30 cm and lay eggs in groups (20-30 pcs. Each).Lay eggs, the females are killed, too.From eggs and a half months later larvae.They are off-white, fleshy, with legs moving.Head with antennae, jaws, but without the eyes.
larvae develop in the ground for 3-4 years, going through several molts.In the first year of feed crop residues, and in 2-3 years - plant roots.In last summer life in the soil larva turns into a pupa.Insect at this stage is similar to the adult beetle.However, it does not increase in size and does not move, the wings of his short, white color.At this time, when the hormonal impact formed the eye, of course, grow wings.By the beginning of autumn Melolontha already complete, but the yield from the land is postponed until the spring.Mass
years is in May, it coincides with the bud blossoming oak and birch leaves.Spring warm day carefully looked closer to the ground, you can see crawl out of the soil after wintering beetles.And in the evening, standing near a flowering tree, you can hear them buzzing and see flights.May beetle damage flowers and young leaves of the plant, causing great harm.
fight is necessary and adult individuals, and their larvae.In the small areas they can shake from the trees, collected by hand, destroy or used for bait when fishing.Larvae also need to destroy or gather for the same purpose during the digging of the soil.
