| One of the bigger representatives
of the scarabeidae family in Europe is the Pine
Chafer
(Polyphylla fullo), that may achieve a length of 25-35 mm. In
some European countries, it is protected. By its striking
pattern it cannot be confused with any other species. It is the
only species of its genus in central Europe. The fans of the female are
smaller than of the male, and have been folded in the picture on the
right.
Pine chafers live in sandy habitats, where the females lays 25-40 eggs in the months of July and August, quite often in the periphery of vineyards or pine forests. The eggs need about 4 weeks to hatch, the larvae taking 3-4 years to develop into a beetle. Pine chafer larvae feed on roots of grasses and sometimes of young pines, so occasionally they may be harmful to young pine forests. |
Portrait of a Female Pine Chafer |
