Vegetable beetle

Larvae grow up to 20 mm long and are shiny and cream, yellow or tan in colour, with two upturned spines on the last body segment. They are hard-bodied, cylindrical and segmented with a rounded head. Larvae are soil dwelling and attack winter cereal crops by boring into germinating seed and chewing on seedling roots and shoots. Adults of common species emerge in spring and are 6-8 mm long, dark grey-black in colour and often covered in soil. Adult beetles generally feed on decaying vegetable matter, however in some situations they will attack emerging canola and spring-sown crops. They are capable of chewing plants above ground, ring barking or completely cutting stems.