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).