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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Water, Rove, Scarab, Longhorn, Leaf and Snout Beetles (Polyphaga) » Scarab, Stag and Bess Beetles (Scarabaeoidea) » Scarab Beetles (Scarabaeidae) » May Beetles and June Bugs (Melolonthinae) » Melolonthini » May Beetles (Phyllophaga)

Genus Phyllophaga - May Beetles

Classification · Other Common Names · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Size · Identification · Range · Food · See Also · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited
May Beetle - Phyllophaga Beetle - Phyllophaga Unknown beetle #3 - Phyllophaga Concrete Head - Phyllophaga Scarab - Phyllophaga Big Black Beetle - Phyllophaga Phyllophaga sp. - Phyllophaga May Beetle - Phyllophaga
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Coleoptera (Beetles)
Suborder Polyphaga (Water, Rove, Scarab, Longhorn, Leaf and Snout Beetles)
Superfamily Scarabaeoidea (Scarab, Stag and Bess Beetles)
Family Scarabaeidae (Scarab Beetles)
Subfamily Melolonthinae (May Beetles and June Bugs)
Tribe Melolonthini
Genus Phyllophaga (May Beetles)
Other Common Names
June Bugs, June Beetles
White Grubs, True White Grubs (Larvae)
Explanation of Names
Author of genus is Harris, 1827 (Thaddeus William Harris, 1795-1856).
From Greek phyllon (φυλλον)- "leaf" + phagos(φαγος)- "eater" with a feminine ending.
Numbers
Nomina Nearctica lists 207 species in North America.

At least 54 species are found in Florida. (1)
Size
adult length 12-25 mm
larvae length 20-45 mm
Identification
Many species are best identified by examination of genitalia (both male and females can be used).
Range
throughout United States and Canada
Food
Larvae: roots and decaying vegetation in the soil
Adults: leaves of various plants
See Also
Masked Chafers, Cyclocephala
Print References
The Scarab Beetles of Florida, Part II (1)
The Scarab Beetles of South Carolina (2)
May Beetles of the United States and Canada (3)
Internet References
White Grubs, Phyllophaga and Other Species (University of Florida, IFAS Extension)
Generic Guide to New World Scarabs
Works Cited
1.The Scarab Beetles of Florida
By Robert Woodruff
2.Scarab beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) of South Carolina
By Phillip J. Harpootlian
3.May Beetles of the United States and Canada
By Luginbill and Painter
Contributed by Cotinis on 20 April, 2004 - 6:51am
Additional contributions by Robin McLeod, Phillip Harpootlian, Brad Barnd, Chuck Entz
Last updated 6 September, 2008 - 7:02pm

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