Beetles are insects that form the order Coleoptera, in the superorder Holometabola. Their front pair of wings are hardened into wing-cases, elytra, distinguishing them from most other insects. The Coleoptera, with about 400,000 described species, is the largest of all orders, constituting almost 40% of described insects and 25% of all known animal species; new species are discovered frequently, with estimates suggesting that there are between 0.9 and 2.1 million total species. Found in almost every habitat except the sea and the polar regions, they interact with their ecosystems in several ways: beetles often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are serious agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle, while others such as Coccinellidae eat aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops.
Melolontha hippocastani is a species of scarab beetle native to Eurasia, with its range spanning from Europe to China. It is one of several species in the genus Melolontha known as cockchafers, alongside the common cockchafer and Melolontha pectoralis. The adults are around 20–29 mm in length. It is distinguished from Melolontha melolontha by the shape of its pygidium, which is primarily black in colour. It primarily dwells in forests, and as such is commonly known as the forest cockchafer. Females lay their eggs in soil, and the larvae feed on decaying organic matter and later small plant roots, including the roots of young trees like pines and firs. The larvae usually develop between 3 and 5 years. They emerge between late April and the end of June. Like other cockchafers, they have been considered a serious pest of crops and trees.
June beetle is the common name for several scarab beetles that appear around June in temperate parts of North America:
Phyllophaga is a very large genus of New World scarab beetles in the subfamily Melolonthinae. Common names for this genus and many other related genera in the subfamily Melolonthinae are May beetles, June bugs, and July beetles. They range in size from 12 to 35 mm and are blackish or reddish-brown in colour, without prominent markings, and often rather hairy ventrally. These beetles are nocturnal, coming to lights in great numbers.
Dermolepida albohirtum, the cane beetle, is a native Australian beetle and a pest of sugarcane. Adult beetles eat the leaves of sugarcane, but greater damage is done by their larvae hatching underground and eating the roots, which either kills or stunts the growth of the plant. The beetles can also be found in the Philippines and are known there by the local name salagubang.
Xylotrupes gideon, the brown rhinoceros beetle, is a species of large scarab beetle belonging to the subfamily Dynastinae.
Polyphylla is a genus of scarab beetle includes more than 80 species distributed in North and Central America, southern and central Europe, northern Africa, and southern Asia—from Asia Minor to Japan. They typically reside in forests and orchards with most being identified by white elytra scales forming stripes. The adult beetles are often attracted to lights. Polyphylla lay their eggs on soil near plants from where the larvae hatch and burrow down to the roots on which they will feed. They reach maturity in two to three years.
Monkey beetles are scarab beetles, a group of around 70 genera and 850 described species within the tribe Hopliini. The placement of this tribe within the family Scarabaeidae is uncertain between Melolonthinae and Rutelinae. Many species visit flowers for pollen and nectar, or browse on the petals. The beetles are important pollinators of Aizoaceae and Asteraceae in grazed and ungrazed areas, as well as many others.
Rutelinae or shining leaf chafers is a subfamily of the scarab beetles. It is a very diverse group; distributed over most of the world, it contains some 200 genera with over 4,000 described species in 7 tribes. Several taxa have yet to be described. A few recent classifications include the tribe Hopliini, but this is not generally accepted.
Melolonthini is a tribe of scarab beetles in the family Scarabaeidae. There are over 250 genera in Melolonthini, occurring worldwide; there are over 300 species in North America alone, and more than 3000 worldwide.
Macrodactylini is a tribe of May beetles and junebugs in the family Scarabaeidae. There are at least 46 genera and over a thousand species described in the tribe Macrodactylini.
Polyphylla occidentalis is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is found in North America.
Phyllophaga tusa is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is found in North America.
Phyllophaga forsteri is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is found in North America.
Phyllophaga antennata is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is found in North America.
Phyllophaga vetula is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It lives in Central America and North America.
Phyllophaga floridana is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is found in North America, and most commonly in the peninsula of Florida and similar humid climates.
Phyllophaga chapini is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is found in North America.
Apogonia blanchardi, is a species of dung beetle found in India and Sri Lanka.
