A complex of insect pests attack the seed and root system of corn which may be detected when one inspects the planted seed for injury or samples the soil at some point throughout the year. The most common insect pests attacking the corn seed are wireworms, seedcorn maggots and seedcorn beetles. Wireworms and grubs attack the corn root system throughout the growing season and may be found in the soil at any time of the year.
Wireworms are larvae of a group of beetles commonly called click beetles.
In general, the distribution of wireworms is associated with sod or grass weed conditions. Wireworm Larva Seedcorn maggots are larvae of small flies that are attracted to germinating seeds, especially in situations having decaying organic matter. Since the seed maggots are larvae of flies, they have no legs and are very similar to fly maggots that one would find in a manure pile. Two species of seedcorn beetles occur in the field, namely the seedcorn beetle and the slender seedcorn beetle. Seedcorn Beetle Grubs are the immature larval stage of scarab beetles, which include the complex of May or June beetles and the Japanese beetle .