Early feeding appears as shallow but large cavities. Late or most recent feeding appears as ragged, deep holes. Damaged roots are downgraded or discarded. Life History - Eggs, averaging 240 per female, are laid singly on, or slightly beneath, the soil surface in summer. Larvae hatch and feed on roots of corn, tobacco, potato and other plants.
Winter is passed in the larval stage.
Pupation in June occurs in the soil. Adults emerge during early summer with greatest activity from late June through July. There is only one generation per year. Fields planted to a winter cover crop, those not plowed during fall and winter, and those not recently in row crops are not suitable sites to plant wireworm-susceptible crops. Low soil moisture, high summer temperatures, disease, predation and cannibalism are helpful in reducing wireworm populations.