Page 20 April, 2020
Wireworms – We’re Just Seeing the Tip of the Iceberg As damage to field crops is poised to escalate, consider proactively finding a wireworm control solution for your area by submitting samples to a member of Canada’s wireworm research team. Lindane (e.g. Vitavax Dual, etc.) insecticide applied for several decades to crops on the Canadian Prairies kept wireworm numbers low. Since the ban of this organochlorine pesticide in 2004, wireworm damage in field crops is rebounding. Some entomology researcher scientists say we’re just seeing the tip of the iceberg. Varying from region to region, around 30 different pest wireworm species exhibit diverse behavours and lifecycles, making a single control measure improbable. An individual region may contain more than one wireworm species.
Depending on the species, the worm-like larvae can feed on plant roots and germinating seeds for up to 3 to 5 years before developing into the adult click beetle stage. While current insecticidal seed treatments may repel wireworms for a growing season, their populations continue to increase so that these treatment measures begin to fail. Even these insecticides may be phased out. Clearly, an integrated management method that also applies non-pesticide approaches will be required for optimal wireworm management. Due to their preference to eat annual or perennial grasses, wireworm populations can build up in fields that have extended periods of cereal crops or pasture. Pulses, oilseeds, potatoes and sugar beets are susceptible to wireworm damage when grown in rotation with cereals. Crops grown in recently
