May beetles are one of the most common insects in Asia and Europe. In size, they reach 3 cm, and the characteristic appearance is quite difficult to confuse with other representatives of the beetle.
Instructions
Step 1
The habitat of the May beetle directly depends on the stage of its life cycle. Finding larvae on the surface is almost impossible. Their main element is soil, and their main diet is plant roots.
Step 2
The pupae from which the beetles emerge are hidden deep underground. At a depth of 50-60 cm, they are reliably protected from enemies and environmental influences.
Step 3
Adult beetles live mainly in the crowns of trees, and feed on their leaves and bark. Massive accumulations of beetles can often be observed on shrubs rich in young shoots and abundant foliage.
Step 4
The period of the most active life of May beetles is April and May. This is due primarily to the phase of their development. It is at this time that the pupae turn into young beetles, which almost immediately replenish their energy supply and begin to mate.
Step 5
In spring, females of May beetles lay eggs in the soil, which after a few months change their appearance and turn into pale yellow or white larvae. Outwardly, they resemble small caterpillars with several pairs of limbs.
Step 6
May beetle in the form of a larva lives for several years and only then turns into a pupa. The main difference between the pupa and the adult beetle is its color. If the May beetle is most often colored brown or black, then the pupa is colorless. Its color can be simultaneously called white, gray or yellowish.
Step 7
The pupa turns into a beetle in early autumn. Until next spring, the insect lives in the ground and feeds on the rhizomes of garden and fruit crops.
Step 8
It is noteworthy that the beetle larva has well-developed jaws, capable of gnawing even old and hard roots. Outwardly, the head of the larva practically does not differ from the adult beetle, and it is colored brown.
Step 9
The life of the May beetle is short. They die a month after reaching the surface. During this period, the beetles actively replenish the reserves of nutrients, destroying huge volumes of vegetation, and then mate.
