What beetle is this eating my apples?

[shillo]

These little darlings have started eating my newly formed apples. Any ideas? they look a lot like the japanese beetle minus the little white tufts. 

[Peasgood]

I believe it to be Phyllopertha horticola, or commonly known as the Garden Chafer.

The Japanese beetle would be a close relative.

 

Not something I am aware of as a pest of apples so very interesting to me as an apple grower. My other job is working with my son with his lawn care business. A major pest of lawns is the chafer grub, they alone don't do massive damage as such but the badgers and birds digging them up do.

I had never considered the adult beetles or what they did, thanks for posting.

 

Which part of the world are you in?

Edited June 6, 2018 by Peasgood

[shillo]

I am in South Devon

 

Interestingly i have seen them on another site we were working on today they were feeding on ferns there. obviously not fussy! 

They drop of what ever they are feeding on very easily when disturbed but presumably just fly back up later on.

 

My 15 young apple trees were were covered in them yesterday and they have chewed on most of the young forming apples.

 

Thanks for the information

 

I did try identifying them but there are a lot of very similar looking beetles out there!

[Stubby]

Could they be feeding on something else that is on the apple ?  Like ladybirds feeding on aphids ? 

[slack ma girdle]

Could they be feeding on something else that is on the apple ?  Like ladybirds feeding on aphids ? 

Garden chafers eat just about any garden shrub and tree, but particularly enjoy fruit trees.

[shillo]

Thanks for the replies.

There must be an abundance of them down here this year. I can't say ive ever noticed them before but now they are everywhere