Amphimallon solstitiale

Ribbed fallow beetle ( Amphimallon solstitiale )

The Rib fallow beetle ( Amphimallon solstitiale ) is a beetle of the family of scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae ). For the nature of the trivial name " Junebug " is in use. However, other members of the genera Amphimallon and Rhizotrogus (such as Rhizotrogus marginipes ) and the garden chafer ( Phyllopertha horticola ) or regionally even some species of the family of ladybugs are called June beetles.

Features

The beetles have a body length of about 14 to 18 millimeters, and have the typical appearance of the scarab beetles. Your body is leather -yellow to brown, with the apex and the pronotum are dark. The sensor compartments are tripartite, in the male they are almost as long as the rest of the sensor, in the female they are shorter. Pronotum, the base and the edges of the elytra are covered with bristles long and short haired. The wing covers the animals have three raised ribs; between them the wing covers are dotted and hairy. The pronotum is divided by a bright center line. The rails ( tibiae ) of the front legs bear outside in the females three, in the males of two teeth. The species can be confused especially with the diurnal Amphimallon ochraceum, but which is smaller, is colored rust and has hairless edges on the wing covers. Amphimallon solstitiale can be distinguished from Rhizotrogus marginipes by long, arranged in rows eyelash bristles on the sides of the elytra.

Occurrence and habitat

The species occurs in the Palearctic, where the northern boundary of the range in Europe are the south of Norway, central Sweden and Finland. In England, the species is distributed only locally. They inhabited forest edges, gardens, parks, fields and avenues from Shallow to the hill country, in the mountains, the type occurs only locally.

Biology

The end of July puts the fertilized females from about 35 eggs in the soil and dies soon after. The larvae ( grubs ) feed on smaller roots and plant residues and grow up to about 50 mm zoom. They overwinter twice and pupate in the spring of the third year. In Northern Europe, they need four years to develop. The adult beetles are nocturnal and hide during the day. They fly in the twilight warm nights from late June until well into July in some large flocks. Two-thirds of flying animals are male. The beetles feed on leaves and flowers.