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Cockchafer
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== Enemies == === Predators === The [[European mole]] is a natural predator of cockchafers. Moles are known to feed on cockchafer larvae. They can detect them using their keen sense of smell and specialised digging behaviour. This predation can help regulate cockchafer populations in mole-inhabited areas. ''<ref name=":10">{{Cite web |last=Marzena |first=Niemczyk |date=June 2017 |title=Effect of environmental factors on occurrence of cockchafers (''Melolontha'' spp.) in forest stands |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/317719403}}</ref>'' ''M. melolontha'' adults are predated by ground beetles and ants. Larvae are predated by click beetles while underground. [[Starling]]s, [[crow]]s, and [[gull]]s also predate ''M. melolontha'' larvae, often after a field has been plowed.<ref name=":0" /> === Parasites === ''Dexia rustica'' is a parasitic fly that uses ''M. melolontha'' larvae as their hosts. ''D. rustica'' eggs hatch underground and look for cockchafer larvae to hibernate within over the winter. Their presence will ultimately kill the beetle larvae in the spring. One to six fly larva can parasitise a single host.<ref name=":0" />
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