Wireworm management: Understanding the life cycle

Wireworms like to feed on germinating seed in cool, moist soils, making spring planting a prime point in time to manage their populations, and protect crop stand establishment.

By gaining insight into their lifecycle, growers can implement effective control strategies and minimize yield losses.

Egg Stage
Adult click beetles lay their eggs in the soil, typically during the early summer. Females lay between 200 and 400 eggs over this time, typically in the soil at the surface down to a depth of 15 cm (6 inches).

Larval Stage
Wireworms hatch and begin their long growth stage in the soil, lasting several years. At this stage, wireworms are actively feeding on germinating seed, plant roots, and underground stems which damage crops. The larvae undergo several molts of their hard exoskeleton as they grow.

Pupal Stage
This stage marks a period of inactivity and transformation as the larvae develop into adult click beetles. This usually begins around July, when the larvae go through a one month pupation about 5-10 cm (1-4 inches) below the soil surface. Emerged adult click beetles overwinter in the soil.

Adult Stage
The emerging adult click beetles are focused on mating and laying eggs for the next generation.

Shad Milligan, Syngenta Seedcare technical lead, says that because a single generation of wireworms can live in the soil for three to five years, you can expect to see several growth stages present at the same time.

Wireworms prefer cool, moist soils, which is often the same conditions during planting.

Milligan notes that in most years there’s ample spring moisture to create favourable conditions for wireworm feeding. “When you add in cool weather and germinating seed releasing carbon dioxide, you really have the environmental conditions to create a buffet for hungry wireworms.”

Wireworms feed on wheat, barley, and corn crops, plus lentils to a lesser extent.

The PDF guide at the link below will help identify wireworm damage, better understand the factors that influence their behaviour and develop control strategies to protect your crops.

Wireworm management starts here

For more tips on managing wireworms with a multi-year management strategy, check out this episode of RealAg Wheat School.