Biology and ecology of the garden chafer, Phyllopertha horticola (L.). VII.—The flight season: male and female behaviour, and concluding discussion.

Abstract

A general description of mass behaviour of the garden chafer, Phyllopertha horticola (L.), in the flight season was given earlier in this series (Milne, 1958). The outstanding features are two roughly equal and half-overlapping phases of activity: Phase 1, the swarming of the beetles over the grass sward, followed by Phase 2, the swarming on the surrounding bracken, hedges and trees. Investigation of sex proportions and mass reproductive state in the two phases permitted some deductions as to individual male and female behaviour (Milne, 1959a, b). In the present paper, further details of behaviour are given, and study of the flight season is concluded with a brief general discussion.

Biology of the striped chafer,Odontria striata(Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) I. The adult, flight and ground surface activity, female reproductive maturation, and food-plant selection

“…The reproductive system of O. striata is very similar to that described for other scarabs, including C. zealandiea (Fenemore 1971), P. hortieoia (L.) (Milne 1959), Aphodius tasmaniae Hope (Maelzer 1961), and H. arator (Mercer & King 1976).…”

“…Johannesson (1975) found in H. arator that spermatophore breakdown took about 4 months, although further mating could occur during this period, the new spermatophore taking up whatever space remained in the bursa copulatrix. In P. hortieoIa, Milne (1959) found that the spermatophore-enlarged bursa copulatrix took about 1-3 weeks to resume its normal size. In a comprehensive study of the formation, morphology, and development of the spermatophore of M. meioiontha, Landa (1960) showed that spermatophore breakdown is promoted by a secretion of the walls of the bursa copulatrix which digests the spermatophore, finally leaving only fragments of cyst cells and the spermatophore membrane in a small ball.…”

“…Where beetle density was high, often several males were seen to attempt to mate with the same female. Milne (1960) identified two phases of flight behaviour in the garden chafer, Phyllopertha horticola (L.). During "phase 1 swarming" males searched for females with which to mate by "alternately weaving in flight close over the ground and alighting to run around", while the female "walks around sedately".…”

Male-biassed response of garden chafer, Phyllopertha horticola L., to leaf alcohol and attraction of both sexes to floral plant volatiles

“…During the morning and forenoon hours, adult garden chafers perform a swarming flight that can be divided into two phases (Milne 1958;1960). During the first phase beginning at the end of May, large numbers of males swarm closely over the turf seeking for females.…”

Observations on flight and feeding activity of adultcosteiytra zealandica(white) (col.,scarabaeidae) in nelson province

“…Thus long-range orientation toward the target feature was hypsotactic (Schneider 1967), succeeded by a shortrange behavioural response whereby willow and other foliage was accepted, and pine foliage rejected, as a mating and feeding site. Milne (1960) reported that adult Phyllopertha horticola L. did not fed on conifer foliage, but fed on dicotyledonous trees and bracken (Pteridium aquilinum L.).…”