May-bugs – some of the most widespread insects in the territory of Asia and Europe. By the size they reach 3 cm, and it is quite difficult to mix characteristic appearance with other representatives of cockchafers.
Instruction
1. The habitat of a may-bug directly depends on a stage of his life cycle. It is almost impossible to find larvae on a surface. Their main elements – the soil, and the main food allowance – roots of plants.
2. Dolls from whom bugs appear are hidden deeply underground. At a depth of 50-60 cm they are reliably protected from enemies and environmental impact.
3. Adult bugs live mainly in crowns, and eat their leaves and bark. Mass congestions of cockchafers can quite often be observed on the bushes rich with young escapes and plentiful foliage.
4. The period of the most active activity of may-bugs – April and May. It is caused first of all by a phase of their development. At this particular time dolls turn into young bugs who fill practically at once a stock of energy and begin pairing.
5. In the spring of a female of may-bugs lay eggs which in several months change the shape to the soil and turn into faintly yellow or white larvae. They resemble small caterpillars with several pairs of extremities superficially.
6. The may-bug lives in an image of a larva several years and only then turns into a doll. The main difference of a doll from an adult cockchafer is coloring. If the may-bug is painted most often in brown or black color, then the doll – is colourless. It is possible to call its coloring at the same time white, gray or yellowish.
7. The doll turns into a bug in an early autumn. Till next spring the insect lives in the earth and eats rhizomes of garden and fruit crops.
8. It is remarkable that the larva of a may-bug possesses well developed jaws capable to gnaw through even old and firm roots. Externally the head of a larva practically does not differ from an adult cockchafer, and it is painted in brown color.
9. Life of a may-bug is short. In a month after an exit to a surface they perish. For this term the cockchafers actively fill reserves of nutrients, destroying huge volumes of vegetation, and then copulate.