. Cooperative economic insect report. Beneficial insects; Insect pests. - 421 - INSECTS NOT KNOWN TO OCCUR IN THE UNITED STATES PRUINOSE SCARAB (Sericesthis pruinosa Dalman) Economic Importance: This scarab is a pest of turf In the coastal districts of eastern Australia. The species is abundant in permanent pastures of central and southern coastal districts of New South Wales, and in recent years has become a pest in irrigated lawns and turf in the tablelands of New South Wales, particularly Canberra where biological and ecological studies have been made. This species was first studied by W. W
. Cooperative economic insect report. Beneficial insects; Insect pests. - 421 - INSECTS NOT KNOWN TO OCCUR IN THE UNITED STATES PRUINOSE SCARAB (Sericesthis pruinosa Dalman) Economic Importance: This scarab is a pest of turf In the coastal districts of eastern Australia. The species is abundant in permanent pastures of central and southern coastal districts of New South Wales, and in recent years has become a pest in irrigated lawns and turf in the tablelands of New South Wales, particularly Canberra where biological and ecological studies have been made. This species was first studied by W. W. Froggatt in 1919 at Leura, New South Wales, where it caused severe damage to golf links fairways in 1918-1919. Damage to lawns, golf links and miscellaneous crops has been reported in subsequent years. The botanical composition of the turf, texture and moisture relations of the soil and the presence of shrubs or trees appear to be the most important factors influencing the susceptibility of the turf to infestation. In lawns consisting of both grasses and clovers, larvae are most plentiful in areas where the grasses pre- dominate. Also, the lighter the soil the more prone the tvirf appears to infestation, and damage is more prevalent in comparatively moist areas of the sod. In addition, dense larval populations cause far less damage to vigorous turf than to weak, shallow-rooted turf. It has been found in Canberra, that certain eucalyptus, particularly Eucalyptus rubida, E. viminalis, the leaves of which are eaten by the adults, appear to oe associated~witn spread of the species in the city. Larvae have not been found in turf vuiless such trees were growing in the vicinity. Hosts: Adults feed on trees and shrubs (see above). Larvae feed on roots of turf plants, especially grasses. Distribution: The species is endemic to the coastal plain of eastern Australia and to the eastern slopes of the Great Dividing Range. It is distributed south- wards from Bowen, Queensland, along the w
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