African Black Beetle, Black Lawn Beetle

A native to Africa, it's an introduced pest species to New Zealand. Adults feed on stems of plants at or just below ground level, while larvae feed on organic matter and roots in soil. This species may damage lawns and other turf, especially during the summer, as well as many crop plants, garden flowers, trees and shrubs.
Black Beetle adults lay eggs in spring and early summer, the larvae develop over summer and pupate and emerge as adults in autumn.