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Wireworm - Family Elateridae   Clemson University,
USDA
Cooperative Steve L. Brown, University of
Georgia,
Extension Slide Series, www.ipmimages.org www.ipmimages.org  HOSTS: Bean, beet, carrot, corn, lettuce, onion, pea, potato. DESCRIPTION:
Young
are brown to yellowish worms; have a shiny, hard skin; are cylindrical
and 1/3 to 1/2 inch long. Adults are click beetles, black to grayish or
brown with dark spots on the head and bands across the wing cover; 1/2
inch long. Eggs are laid in damp soil several inches beneath the
surface. LIFE
CYCLE: One
generation per year; the life cycle requires one to six years to
complete, depending on species. Eggs are laid underground in early
spring or summer and pupation takes place in late summer. Larvae feed
entirely underground, chewing on germinating seeds or on the roots,
stems, and tubers of many plants. Adult beetles overwinter in cells in
the soil or in rotten wood and plant debris. CONTROLS:Mechanical: Wireworms may be trapped in pieces of potato buried an inch below the soil surface. Dispose of the pieces later and replace with new ones. Cultural: Grow resistant crops. Cultivate the garden frequently enough to expose the worms to predators and to discourage egg laying. Practice good sanitation - remove rotten wood and plant debris from area; compost at a distance from the growing area. Do not plant into a previously-sodded area until the second season after tilling in the grass. Red and sweet clover and small grains also support populations of wireworms. Biological: Use parasitic nematodes. |
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