Blackheaded pasture cockchafer

Black headed pasture cockchafers attack pastures and cereals. The larvae are soft, whitish c-shaped grubs with three pairs of yellowish legs and a hard, black head capsule. When fully grown in winter they are about 20mm long. The grubs live in the soil until mid to late summer, where they emerge as shiny black beetles about 10-12mm in length. Larvae live underground in tunnels and come to the surface to feed at night. They are usually surface in response to rains and heavy dews. This pest can cause large bare patches in crops during late autumn and early winter.