This species is native to North America, and specimens have been collected from Maine to California[1] and as far south as Alabama.

After emerging from the soil the unmated females climb a blade of grass and begin to release a sex pheromone to attract males.

After mating females will dig 10 to 15 cm into the soil and lay a clutch of 11 to 14 pearly white oval eggs, each 1.7 mm long.

From late-April to May the larvae which have survived winter return to the surface to feed, moving down again in late-May to early-June to pupate.

Forming within the old exoskeleton, which splits down the middle, the 17 mm long pupa will take about 17 days to mature, gradually changing from creamy white to reddish brown.

[3] Northern masked chafers are considered a common pest of turf and cereal crops from New England to Illinois.