Wireworms: A Destructive, Slimy Critter with a Very Bad Reputation

Dan Pest/Pest Control, This Land of Ours

A slimy critter with a very bad reputation in the garden. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours.

wireworms
Wireworm in a carrot
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Wireworms, are destructive pests for farmers and gardeners, especially those growing corn. Wireworms are the larvae of the click beetle.

Wireworms are found everywhere throughout North America; they’re most common in fields and grass pastures. They may be tiny, but they cause significant damage to young, vulnerable plants, including:  potatoes, carrots, brassicas, sweet potatoes, beans and lettuce. One of the biggest problems is that wireworms stay in the larval form anywhere from two to six years; it takes a long time for them to mature.

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Wireworms are one of the hardest pests to get rid of in your garden, so preventative measures are a must. It’s far easier to prevent these pests from entering your garden than it is to get rid of them. If you have infected plants in your garden, you need to remove all infected plants and dispose of them immediately. You have to take them out of your garden, or the infestation will continue.

Listen to Cathy Isom’s This Land of Ours program here.

Wireworms: A Destructive, Slimy Critter with a Very Bad Reputation