Scarabaeid Pests: Subfamily Dynastinae

Abstract

This chapter examines masked chafers, which belong to the large genus of North and South American beetles, the Cyclocephala, in the order Coleoptera, family Scarabaeidae, subfamily Dynastinae, tribe Cyclocephalini. Approximately a dozen of these species occur in North America, but only five species are regularly associated with turfgrass cultivation: the northern masked chafer; the southern masked chafer; Cyclocephala pasadenae (Casey); Cyclocephala hirta LeConte; and Cyclocephala parallela Casey. Masked chafer grubs are important turfgrass-infesting species, causing extensive damage to cultivated turf during late summer and early fall. They are the most injurious root-feeding pests of turfgrass throughout much of the Ohio River Valley and the midwestern United States. Adult masked chafers have blunt spatulate mandibles that are unsuited for feeding on plant tissues; as far as is known, they do not feed.