Lethrus Apterus

a beetle of the family Scarabaeidae. It has a short body, a large head, and a broad prothorax. Its body length is 15–24 mm; the color, black. These beetles are found in the steppe zone of the European part of the USSR. In the spring they dig deep tunnels in the soil of untilled areas. At the end of the tunnel the female arranges side chambers in which she lays eggs. Then the beetles fill the chambers with young leaves, which serve as food for the larvae. The young beetles winter in the chambers. Lethrus apterus beetles seriously damage grapes and the sprouts of many crops by cutting and eating leaves and buds. The chief countermeasure is to plow the nesting grounds of the beetles. In Middle Asia there are many related species of the genus Lethrus, which lead similar lives.