Imago
Beetles of various sizes, 4-60 mm long. The body shape is mostly oblong. The upper side of most species is convex. The bottom of the body is somewhat convex and is never flat. The body is covered with thick, large or small, sometimes double (large and small) dashed lines, may be bare or covered with hairs and scales. The hairline is very short, sometimes long and very thick, especially on the chest. Scaly cover is also variously developed.
Body color is black, brown, brown-red, brown-yellow and light yellow. Sometimes the color is two-tone, while most often the elytra is partially or completely more light colored than the rest of the body. The spotted pattern on the elytra is rare; there are no blue and green colors. In representatives of some genera, the body has a metallic tint, but there are no bright metallic shiny shapes. Often the color of the body depends on the scales and hairs that cover it.
The head is small, already pronotum, directed forward, does not bear horns or other outgrowths. The upper jaw is developed, the lower - two-lobed. Antennae short, with a mace of 7-10 segments.
The lateral margin of the prothorax in most cases forms a sharp rib, smooth or serrated, sometimes seated with setae. The abdomen consists of 6 sternites , the last of which is sometimes shortened. Abdomen from below is always convex. The pygidium has a roundly blunt apex, flat or convex on top. In some Melolonthini, its apex is elongated into a narrow relatively long process.
Elytra developed, convex, oblong, only in Hopliini they are somewhat wider and shorter. The humeral tubercles in all flying species are well developed. In most tribes, the elytra above have longitudinal ribs - usually 4, which can be convex, protruding, or flattened. The ribs are delimited from the intercostal spaces by grooves. Hind wings in most cases well developed, absent only in some Rhizolrogini .
The legs vary greatly in length - have a moderate length in Melolonthini and Hopliini and reach a considerable length in Pachydemini , Sericini . The front tibia has 2-3 teeth outside. Hips are significantly expanded in females of some species. Claws are always well developed, strong.
Larva
Larvae of grubs belong to hypnosis type larvae. They are usually eyeless, with a thick, bent to the underside body and 3 pairs of legs. The head is pale yellow, brown-yellow or brown-red, roundish large. A forehead in the shape of a triangle. Only Sericini has eyes located at the base of the antennae. Antennae rather long, 4-segmented, located outside the front corners of the forehead, on the front of the head capsule. The body consists of 12 segments (3 thoracic and 9 abdominal), the last abdominal segment is divided by a transverse groove into 2 parts. The integuments of the body are soft, form numerous folds between the individual sclerites. The body is covered with sparse hairs. Long-term generation is characteristic of Melolonthini (3-5 years) and Rhizotrogini (2-3 years), one-year generation is characteristic of Paehydemini , Hopliini .
Doll
Pupa is always in a crib placed in the soil at a depth of 30-50 cm. Belongs to the type of free pupae. It is similar in shape to an adult beetle, but has short wings, the head is bent under the chest. The color is yellowish. Pupa phase from 2 weeks to a month. The beetle that emerged from the pupa in the fall or at the end of summer remains in the cradle until next spring.
Larvae live in the soil and feed on the roots of various herbaceous and woody plants, without a narrow food specialization.
Adults feed on leaves of woody and shrubby vegetation, to a lesser extent - leaves of grassy vegetation. Nutrition of woody vegetation is characteristic of Melolonthini among Sericini and Hopliini nutrition is observed both woody and herbaceous vegetation. There is no specialized food for plant flowers, but Sericini and Hopliini can eat both leaves and flowers. Many species, such as Anoxia , do not feed - aphagia .
Different species are active at different times of the day. In some species, both males and females fly equally often (for example, in Melolontha ), in others, females fly a little ( Anoxia , harlequin chrysanthemum , Rhizotrogus ), and in third, females do not fly at all ( Monotropus nordmanni ).
The most numerous (in tribal and species proportions) in the Northern Hemisphere and the least numerous in Africa and South America (where they live only in its northern part).
The largest number of species belongs to the tropical zone and the warmer regions of the temperate zone of the northern and southern hemispheres adjacent to it. In the colder regions of the temperate zone they are very few in number, and not one species reaches the northern border of the taiga zone.
