Wireworms (Latin name Agriotes ) are the soil-dwelling larvae of click beetles, & are a pest in the garden. Although there are over 60 species of wireworm, the main problems are Agriotes lineatus, Agriotes obscurus and Agriotes sputator.

Occurence of Wireworms

• Wireworms are a serious pest in new gardens - in the first few years after grass has been dug up to make a vegetable garden

• The main hatch of wireworms is in late May. Young wireworms are initially white and about 1.5 mm long. As they grow, their colour darkens to a shiny golden-brown.

• Most damage to potatoes occurs in September to October.

Symptoms of Wireworm attack in potatoes

• The potatoes are riddled with small, round holes on the surface, and narrow tunnels running into the tuber flesh.
• Damage is often confused with slug damage but slugs hollow out large cavities inside the potato, whereas wireworms do not.

Prevention of Wireworm Damage in Potatoes

• avoid growing potatoes in infested fields.

• harvest the crop before wireworms start to actively feed on tubers

• regularly disturb the soil if wireworms are known to be present. This decreases wireworm populations by direct injury and from exposure to desiccation or attack by birds.

Treatment - none
Chemical control is difficult because the wireworms are active very close to harvest

Wireworms are a serious pest to potatoes in new gardens, but after a few years of cultivating the garden, the wireworms will disappear.