Garden click beetle

The garden click beetle (scientific name: Athous haemorrhoidalis) is a member of the Elateridae family within the order Coleoptera. While the adult beetles are harmless, their larvae, commonly known as wireworms, are significant pests that inhabit the soil and feed on the underground parts of numerous plants.

Wireworms of this species are polyphagous, meaning they feed on a wide variety of crops. They are particularly damaging to cereals, maize, potatoes, sugar beets, and various vegetable crops. They tend to infest fields with higher moisture levels and those that have been under grass or meadow for several years.

The life cycle of Athous haemorrhoidalis is characterized by a long larval development period, lasting several years in the soil. Adults emerge during the summer months and are often seen resting on vegetation. However, the true economic impact is caused by the soil-dwelling stages, which are difficult to detect until substantial damage to crops has already occurred.

The damage caused by wireworms typically involves boring into roots, tubers, and the base of stalks. This feeding behavior stunts plant growth, reduces the marketability of root crops, and often leads to the death of young seedlings, resulting in gaps in the crop stand and significant yield losses.

Effective management and control of wireworms involve several key agronomic and chemical practices:

• Implementing crop rotation to disrupt the life cycle of the beetles.
• Performing thorough tillage and cultivation to expose larvae to birds and weather conditions.
• Using insecticidal seed treatments to provide early protection for germinating crops.
• Applying granular soil insecticides during sowing if soil sampling indicates high populations of wireworms.