Known as the "Alexander beetle" to many schoolchildren of Canterbury, where it is common in most urban and agricultural habitats. Females burrow in light soils and form a small chamber at the end. Here the female will lay and nurse its 20-30 eggs till the larvae hatch. The larvae then disperse through the soil to there prey apon even smaller insects or insect eggs. A larger version, also known as Megadromus crassalis (35-37 mm long) lives on hill slopes in South Canterbury is now considered to be just that, a larger form and is a synonym.