They hibernate from 5-25 cm in the soil. Older larvae are commonly found feeding to a depth of 15 cm in the top soil. When full grown, usually in July, the larvae pupate 5-10 cm deep in the soil. Pupation lasts for less than a month. However, adults do not emerge until the following spring.
Larval activity is affected by soil temperature and moisture conditions.
Cool, wet weather forces the wireworms closer to the surface. Dry, hot weather forces them deeper into the soil. Cool weather also restricts adult activity and lengthens the egg-laying period. Eggs laid near the soil surface or in compact soil are subject to high mortality when rapid fluctuations in moisture and temperature occur. Damage is higher in silt, medium textured, well-drained soils and in soils cultivated for at least 12 years.