Pericoptus truncatus

Description

Pericoptus truncatus is a large sand scarab beetle. It is native to New Zealand and is found on beaches throughout New Zealand. Its Māori name is ngungutawa. The adult spends the daylight hours buried in the sand, emerging at night to fly noisily around in search of mates and food. It leaves obvious trails in the sand when walking around. The female lays eggs deep in the sand and the large white grubs can often be found under driftwood, though they feed on roots of dune plants.