WIREWORMS. (il 
body, then by the contraction of powerful muscles, the anterior 
part of the body is bent upward with such force that the insect is 
hurled into the air. If it does not alight on its feet at the first 
attempt, it tries again. 
Among the natural enemies of wireworms are the predaceous 
ground beetles and several species of birds including robins, crows, 
and shore birds. 
Wireworms are rather difficult to control for the reason that 
nearly all of their work is done underground. The following 
methods of treatment have been recommended by workers in other 
states, although we have not tested them experimentally in Min- 
nesota. If old sod that is infested by wireworms is to be broken 
up, the plowing followed by a thorough harrowing should be done 
in the late summer or early fall. At this time, the full-grown 
wireworms have changed to the pupal stage when they are 
delicate and easily killed. If any of the pupae have transformed 
to beetles, these are sure to be in a more or less helpless condition. 
In addition to killing some of them directly, the plow and harrow 
will turn many of them up to the surface and break their earthen 
cells so that they will be exposed to the weather and natural 
enemies. Pasturing with hogs previous to plowing would help to 
destroy many of the wireworms as well as white grubs, cut 
worms, and other grass-eating 
insects. If the sod is followed 
by two years of clover before 
planting to corn, the danger 
to the latter crop would be 
greatly diminished. If the 
clover is sown with a nurse 
crop of small grain, the latter 
might suffer some injury from 
the wireworms, but not as seri- 
ously as corn. In addition to 
fall-plowing, the practice of 
clean cultivation and a short 
rotation in which the land is 
not allowed to remain in grass 
for a long time will help to 
keep the pest in check. 
If the attack of wireworms 
makes it necessary to replant 
Fic. 12. Wireworms, larvae of 
M,. communis. 
