European chafer

Definition

A scarab beetle (family Scarabaeidae), Amphimallon majale, native to continental Europe and now invasive in temperate North America. The robust, tan-colored adults are crepuscular and short-lived, while the large, C-shaped white grubs are subterranean root-feeders that damage cool-season turf grasses, pastures, and agricultural crops. The species is a significant lawn and golf-course pest in northeastern North America, where biological control using entomopathogenic nematodes and microbial agents is often employed.

Etymology

Example

In urban entomology, European chafer infestations are diagnosed by the presence of grubs in the root zone and by skunks or raccoons tearing up turf to feed on them; damage is most severe in late summer when third-instar grubs are actively feeding before overwintering.

Synonyms

• Rhizotrogus majalis

Related Terms

• cockchafer
• rose chafer
• white grub
• Scarabaeidae
• Invasive species
• turf pest
• entomopathogenic nematode

Usage Notes

The scientific name has been unstable; Amphimallon majale is the currently accepted combination, though Rhizotrogus majalis appears in older literature. Not to be confused with the common 'June bug' name applied to various other scarabs, though Wiktionary lists this as a synonym. The species is distinguished from native North American chafers by its more northerly distribution and preference for cool, moist soils. Adults do not feed significantly; all economic damage is caused by larval root-feeding.