Although tobacco wireworm larvae prefer tobacco, they also attack corn, cotton, potato, bean, peanut, and various truck crops. The adult beetles commonly feed on the weed mullein. Conoderus lividus larvae are most frequently found in bluegrass sod or in fields which were in sod the previous year. C. lividus beetles, on the other hand, are commonly found on trees and shrubs, especially walnut and hickory. Damage - Wireworm larvae damage peanuts by feeding in the seed, roots, underground stem and pods of the plant.
Ragged holes are apparent in infested roots and stems.
The above ground symptoms may include poor germination, chlorotic plants, and low productivity. Life History - Since little is known concerning the life cycle of C. lividus , the following life history is based on the tobacco wireworm. About 240 eggs per female are laid singly on or slightly beneath the soil surface in summer. Larvae hatch and feed on the roots of tobacco, corn or other plants. The larvae overwinter 5 to 9 cm below the soil surface.