WIRE WORMS 



207 



Habits. Native sod or old pasture land is the natural home 

 of these insects, and for the first two years after sod, crops should 

 be chosen, whenever possible, which are not attractive to wire 

 worms. The worst damage occurs in the second year after planting 

 grass land in grain, and it is believed that from three to five years 

 are required for the life cycle of the various species. The last 

 year of the larval stage is passed in a small cell, where it transforms 

 to a pupa. 



Injury. There are many species of these insects (Elateridce) . 

 They attack a large variety of crops. The seed of corn suffers, 



as does also the seed of cot- j. ^^^r""' ^i 



ton and young cotton plants. 

 Young wheat plants, pota- 

 toes, turnips, young corn, 

 and many garden and farm 

 crops are attacked. The 

 worst damage occurs in the 

 case of corn. 



Control. Suitable crop 

 rotations, early fall plowing, 

 and thorough cultivation are 

 recommended. As a rule, 

 legumes are not injured by 

 these insects. It is therefore 

 wise to include a legume with 

 the rotation. Land should 

 not be allowed to lie in a 

 grass crop several years. On 

 a small scale when occurring 

 in kitchen gardens, these 

 grubs can be trapped by 

 pieces of potato put on short sticks and buried near plants that 

 are threatened. Summer fallowing, where possible, is desirable, 

 for it keeps all growth which might serve as food off the field. 

 Any farm practice which is practical and which will stimulate early 

 growth is recommended. This enables plants to better withstand 

 attack. For example, the early planting of corn in the southern 

 states, followed by frequent cultivation, is good. Corn should 

 not be planted two years in succession on the same ground, par- 

 ticularly if the field is infested. Corn or other grain crop following 

 sod is likely to suffer from wire-worm attack. 



FIG. 222. Wire worms. (Enlarged.) 



