Technical Name: Heteronychus arator
General:
A pest of light free draining soil in the upper North Island. Larvae feed on plant roots during December – March causing summer pasture damage. Adults are can cause significant damage to establishing grass in autumn.
Historically Black Beetle is quite cyclical. It comes in waves every 20 – 25 years approximately. It normally builds up then disappears until next time. During this disappearance period it is still there but not to the same financial significance.
Identification:
Only found in warmer regions of New Zealand. They are mainly found in free draining sandy light ash or loam soils. Causes pasture damage by chewing through the base of emerging Ryegrass plants. This leads to patchy pasture establishment.