It is widespread in Europe, the insect is often mistaken for a June bug.What caused this error is difficult to say.Golden chafer Khrushchev (which include chafer) belong to the same family, have a similar structure and are roughly the same lifestyle, but to distinguish one insect from another quite easily.Khrushchev look more "modest" because they do not have a bright metallic luster inherent chafer.Painting elytra have brown or reddish-brown, with whitish specks.Chafer chafer longer, its length is 3 cm. In addition, his body more elongated and richly covered with hairs (except elytra).Unlike chafer, chafer recognized agricultural pest.
Golden chafer: classification and habitat
chafer belong to the family Plastinchatousye (Skarabeepodobnye) and detachment Cetonea («metallic» beetles).Their closest relatives - a chafers, scarabs, copra, rhinoceros beetles and stag beetles.The largest member of the family - goliath beetle, whose weight is about 100g common chafer together with copper is one of the most numerous species.It is found in all regions of Europe (except for some areas of Portugal and Spain), in the Crimea, Eastern Siberia, the Caucasus and parts of Central Asia.Chafer feels comfortable only in a relatively humid climate, so in the deserts of these beetles do not live.Some species of these insects (particularly beautiful and smooth) are listed as endangered, but the golden chafer is not threatened with extinction.
Even in regions with unfavorable ecological situation chafer ordinary population is not reduced.
Her relatives prefer exotic tropical climate.Especially a lot of them in India and Africa.
How does chafer golden?
length of the body of the beetle - a half to two centimeters, width - up to 1.4 cm. Below it has a golden-bronze, brownish color.For elytral many variations - from the most common emerald green to reddish, purple, bright blue or even black.The main feature of the golden chafer - bright metallic (mainly copper) shine.The elytra are decorated with several light transverse stripes.Compared to the May beetle chafer looks smoother and less "woolly".Another interesting feature is manifested in its movement: this beetle does not raise the elytra.To take off, he vyprastyvaet wings folded in half, through a special side slits.This trick improves the aerodynamic characteristics of an insect, so it becomes more agile flight.As you can see for yourself, the picture below shows a typical golden-colored chafer (photo in flight).
Stages of development
chafer, like all insects, living for a few undergoes metamorphosis: from egg larva develops from larvae - pupa and imago of it already.The whole cycle takes about two to three years, the beetle does not live more than a year.Bronzovok Females lay their eggs in the summer, in late June or July, and after a while die.A few weeks later hatch into larvae.They are thick, white or gray, is 6 cm in length.The larvae are actively feeding and organic cellulose (the roots of weeds, rotting plant remains, bark, hay, manure, mushroom), digested food and enrich the soil.Through the extravagance of the larvae of this process is very fast.Live cultivated plants cetonia aurata (staying in the larval stage) does not move.
larvae spend the winter buried in the ground.Next summer they turn into pupae.To do this, the larvae with short legs form a cocoon around themselves out of sticky secretions emitted.In the late summer of the adult beetle comes out of the cocoon.Males differ from females only in size: they are;in general, sexual dimorphism in bronzovok not developed.The activity beetle lasts from late spring to mid-summer.
Lifestyle
chafer insect lives in forests, gardens, parks, meadows and gardens.Females lay eggs in compost and manure heaps, rotten stumps, in the hollows of dead trees.Around the same places hibernate and larvae and adults.Importantly, the chafer prefer hardwood trees;rotten spruce and pine are not attracted to them.
believed that natural enemies have bronzovok not so much.Parasitic wasp larvae and chipped tifiya and tahina fly.Adult beetles are prey birds.Pets bronzovok usually do not eat, because these insects produce a special toxin that can be fatal for small predators.
beetles are active during the day, especially if the weather is dry and sunny.
Power
chafer larvae benefit: disposing of decaying wood, the roots of weeds and organic remains, they contribute to the formation of fertile soil, which has a positive impact on the latter.
But mouthparts adult beetles are not adapted to absorb roughage.Chafer golden, which is located below the photo, powered plant flowers (stamens, pistils and ovaries).
also suffer from bronzovok young leaves and fruit.Do not disdain beetles and tree sap.Unfortunately, the chafer like ornamental plants: roses (because of this they are even referred to as "pink beetles"), peonies, raspberries, grapes, strawberries, flowers and fruit trees (cherry, apple).For them, any field of interest, meadow or ornamental plants with sweet juice.
Gardeners do not like ugly bronzovok of flowers and partially eaten "skeletonized" leaves.
garden chafer
However, cetonia aurata not recognized by insect pests.Larvae it uniquely useful, harmless pupa and adult beetles damage from light.Experts say that the chafer do not affect the yield of fruit trees.Moreover, unlike larvae, adult beetles voracious and cause great harm can not.Therefore, the fight against chafer (by hand-picking or chemical means) in most cases does not make sense.
