The life history of Pericoptus truncatus (Fabr.) from New Zealand is reviewed, and a modern description of the third instar is provided. Larvae of P. truncatus live just beyond oceanic high tide under and within well anchored driftwood and beneath beach sand, where they feed on rotting wood or plant roots. The larvae are remarkable for their large, spatulate claws, which aid them in traveling through the sand as well as on the surface during nocturnal surface migrations between the backshore and the foredune area, presumably to feed on plant roots and find sand with water content high enough to allay desiccation.