Wireworms

Jump to: Pest ID of Wireworms Related Species with Look-Alike Symptoms Facts on Wireworms Life Cycle of Wireworms Key Characteristics of Wireworm Damage Impact on Crop

Pest ID of Wireworms

Wireworm Larvae

Wireworm larvae have shiny yellow to brown hard bodies or creamy white soft bodies with dark and hardened heads and tails.

Wireworm larvae

Wireworm larvae have shiny yellow to brown hard bodies or creamy white
soft bodies with dark and hardened heads and tails.

Click Beetle (wireworm adult)

Adult wireworms, known as "click beetles," are yellow, brown, black, or gray and slender with a bullet-shaped abdomen.

Adult wireworms, known as "click beetles," are yellow, brown, black,
or gray and slender with a bullet-shaped abdomen.

Related Species with Look-Alike Symptoms

Billbug: adult and larvae feed on young seedling; adult may feed

to growing point and make similar row of holes in expanding leaves
(two photos below)

wireworm_llsym_billbug

While feeding adult billbugs may make similar rows of holes in expanding corn leaves.

wireworm_billbug_feeding

Stinkbug: may probe seedling and dissolve growing point causing
stunting, tillering and holes in leaves (two photos below)

wireworm_llsym_stinkbug

wireworm_stinkbug_tillering

Cutworm: feeding on growing point may cause stunting, holes in
leaves or tillering (two photos below)

Cutworms feeding on corn plant growing points may cause stunting, holes in leaves or tillering.

wireworm_llsym_cutworm

wireworm_cutworm_stunting

Seed Corn Beetle: damaged kernel or young seedling
(two photos below)

wireworm_llsym_sdcnbet

wireworm_sdcnbet_seedlingdamage

White Grub: root feeding causes uneven emergence and early growth; white grubs are often found along with wireworms in areas of the field

wireworm_llsym_whitegrub

Seed Corn Maggot: feeds on germ, hollowing out the kernel;
maggot (larva) or pupa may be present

Seed corn maggots feed on germ, hollowing out the kernel; maggot (larva) or pupa may be present.

wireworm_llsym_sdcnmag

Facts on Wireworms

Wireworms are the larvae of many beetle species from Agriotes, Conoderus, Limonius, Hemicrepidius and Melanotus genera
Wireworm species are destructive pests of crop plants worldwide, especially in temperate regions
Wireworms are important in many spring-seeded crops because of potential stand losses
In most cases, wireworms are spring pests only as they move deeper and may aestivate as soils warm during the summer
Hosts: any fibrous rooted plant species, including corn, pasture, small grains and other grasses
Larvae are opportunistic; unable to move more than a few inches, they must feed on what is present.

Wireworms are the larvae of many beetle species. They are destructive pests of crop plants worldwide, especially in temperate regions.

wireworm_facts1

Corn plants damaged from wireworm feeding.

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Life Cycle of Wireworms

Wireworms develop through complete metamorphosis
- Egg, larva, pupa, adult
Eggs are laid in the soil
Larvae development can require one to five years depending on species; some species require six years per generation
Generations often overlap
Overwinters in soil
Adults are known as click beetles

Key Characteristics of Wireworm Damage

Missing plant or seed
Stunted or misshapen seedling
Holes across leaves as whorl unrolls
For positive ID, wireworm must be found

Wireworm larva damaging corn plant stalk.

wireworm_impact1

Wireworm larvae damaging corn plant seed.

wireworm_impact2

Impact on Crop

Wireworms feeding on the seed may prevent germination and give rise to missing plants and uneven stands
Feeding on the young plant or root system can give rise to uneven plant development and lower ability of the affected plants
to compete
Feeding on the whorl or growing point above the seeds may stunt, kill plants or give rise to abnormal development
Yield loss is common when stands are damaged

wireworm_missing_plants

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