An Australian immigrant and widespread in New Zealand where it is especially common in the dry sandy soils of the Canterbury coast. Reputedly, millions of individuals have been seen forming a bank at the high tide strandline on Sumner beach, Christchurch, after a massive flight on a warm evening in January. It now shares some of its dry soil habitat with the recent arrival from Europe,Aphodius fimetarius, and there is possible competition between these two species and a native species similar to Costelytra diurna. .