Tag: Click beetle

Wireworms

Reminder – Wireworms are the larval stage of click beetles from the family Elateridae. Click beetles, the adult stage, do not cause damage to crops. Wireworms live in the soil, where it can take 4 or more years to complete larval development. In the soil, wireworms feed on germinating seeds and the roots of a wide variety of prairie field crops including cereals, pulses, oilseeds, and vegetables including potato and carrots. Damage to root vegetables can result in unmarketable produce.  

Several species of wireworms can be found on the Canadian Prairies but species commonly occurring in field crops are included in Figure 1. Even more importantly, there are four primary pest species, including Hypnoidus bicolor, prairie grain wireworm (Selatosomus aeripennis destructor), sugarbeet wireworm (Limonius californicus), and flat wireworm (Aeolus mellillus).

Figure 1. Dorsal views of economically important species of wireworms observed across the Canadian prairies and their adult click beetle. (Source: Guide to Pest Wireworms in Canadian Prairie Field Crop Production).

Similar to cutworms, bare patches in a field can be an early and obvious sign of wireworm infestation in the spring. Patchy crop emergence (Fig. 2), results when wireworms consume germinating seeds or feed on the roots and stems of young seedlings (Fig. 3).

Figure 2. A cereal field with patchy seedling emergence and stand establishment due to wireworm infestation. Picture by Dr. Haley Catton (AAFC, Lethbridge).
Figure 3. Wireworm feeding damage on a faba bean seedling. Picture by Chris Baan.

More information about the primary wireworm pest species can be found in the Guide to Pest Wireworms in Canadian Prairie Field Crop Production (also available in French).

Wireworms

Wireworms are the larval stage of click beetles from the family Elateridae. Click beetles, the adult stage, do not cause damage to crops. Wireworms live in the soil, where it can take 4 or more years to complete larval development. In the soil, wireworms feed on germinating seeds and the roots of a wide variety of prairie field crops including cereals, pulses, oilseeds, and vegetables including potato and carrots. Damage to root vegetables can result in unmarketable produce.  

Several species of wireworms can be found on the Canadian Prairies but species commonly occurring in field crops are included in Figure 1. Even more importantly, there are four primary pest species, including Hypnoidus bicolor, prairie grain wireworm (Selatosomus aeripennis destructor), sugarbeet wireworm (Limonius californicus), and flat wireworm (Aeolus mellillus).

Figure 1. Dorsal views of economically important species of wireworms observed across the Canadian prairies and their adult click beetle. (Source: Guide to Pest Wireworms in Canadian Prairie Field Crop Production).

Similar to cutworms, bare patches in a field can be an early and obvious sign of wireworm infestation in the spring. Patchy crop emergence (Fig. 2), results when wireworms consume germinating seeds or feed on the roots and stems of young seedlings (Fig. 3).

Figure 2. A cereal field with patchy seedling emergence and stand establishment due to wireworm infestation. Picture by Dr. Haley Catton (AAFC, Lethbridge).
Figure 3. Wireworm feeding damage on a faba bean seedling. Picture by Chris Baan.

More information about the primary wireworm pest species can be found in the Guide to Pest Wireworms in Canadian Prairie Field Crop Production (also available in French).

Wireworms

Newly seeded fields should be scouted throughout the germination and emergence periods for a variety of insect pests – one of the most difficult to detect can be wireworms! Wireworms are the juvenile stages of a complex comprised of several species of Elateridae, commonly referred to as ‘Click beetles’. On the Canadian prairies, wireworm collections from field crops indicate that three economically important species of wireworms or click beetles can be present; Selatosomus destructor, Limonius californicus, and Hypnoides bicolor. According to van Herk and Vernon (2014), a wide variety of Elateridae have been described from across the Canadian prairies; Alberta 144 species described in Alberta, 108 species described from Saskatchewan, and 109 species described from Manitoba.

Review these two wireworm posts to learn more and supplement in-field scouting:

Wireworms – Insect of the Week (2018)

Wireworm distribution map – Weekly Update (2018)

Biological and monitoring information related to wireworms in field crops is posted by Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development, and Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. Also, refer to the wireworm pages within the “Field Crop and Forage Pests and their Natural Enemies in Western Canada: Identification and management field guide” (2018; accessible in either English-enhanced or French-enhanced versions).