Maisky Khrushch is a highly developed pest

Cockchafer (Khrushka) - an insect belonging tocoleoptera, the genus of beetles, the family of platyla. This genus is quite numerous, it includes about 40 species. One of the species, namely the eastern May Khrushchev, is especially common in our country.

This is a big beetle.The length of the convex-oval body is 2-3.5 cm. It is covered with chitinous shell, which serves as protection. The color can be red-red (such individuals prefer open spaces) or black (these live in shaded areas).

The body, head and pronotum of the beetle are covered with differentalong the length of the hairy scales. On the head are antennae, ending with fan-shaped dismemberment. The May Khrushka has three pairs of walking legs covered with hairs and ending in claws, thanks to which it is able to hold onto the foliage and bark of trees. The front legs are much stronger than the other two pairs, since their beetles dig holes before laying eggs. Despite the fact that the beetle has elytra and flying wings, it flies with difficulty, slowly.

Oriented in space by welldeveloped system of sense organs, the Maybug. Khrushch can observe everything around thanks to the complex eyes, consisting of thousands of simple ocelli located on both sides

heads.The antennae beetle searches for food, in search of which almost a kilometer can fly. The May Khrushchov eats plant food thanks to the oral apparatus of the gnawing type. For the choice of food palps correspond (mouth appendages). They feel the food beetle and feeds it into the mouth.

May beetles are dioecious insects.Males die after mating. Females burrow into the soil to a depth of 30 cm and lay eggs in piles (20-30 pieces each). After laying eggs, females also die. After a month and a half larvae come out of eggs. They are off-white, fleshy, with legs, mobile. Head with antennae, jaws, but without eyes.

Larvae develop in the ground for 3-4 years, passinga few molts. In the first year they feed on plant residues, and in 2-3 years they feed on plant roots. In the last summer of life in the soil, the larva turns into a pupa. The insect at this stage already looks like an adult beetle. However, it does not grow in size or move,

its wings are short, the color is white.At this time, hormonal effects form eyes, limbs, and wings grow. By the beginning of autumn, the May Khrushch is already full, but the way out of the ground is postponed until spring.

Mass years falls on May, it coincides withbudding oak and birch leaves. On a warm spring day, after carefully looking at the ground, you can see beetles crawling out of the soil after wintering. And in the evening, standing near a flowering tree, you can hear their buzz and see the flights. May shrimp damages flowers and young leaves of plants, causing great harm.

It is necessary to fight both with adults and with theirlarvae. In small areas, they can be shaken off the trees, collected by hand, destroyed or used for bait when fishing. Larvae also need to be destroyed or collected for the same purpose while digging the soil.