Other Common Names
Larvae are commonly called wireworms
Numbers
About 840 North American species. Many species are quite common.
Identification
A key to Nort American genera is found
here.
Habitat
Adults are found on flowers, under bark or on vegetation. Many of the larvae are found in rotten logs. Pupaes are found in the ground, under bark or in rotten logs.
Food
Adults usually eat plants. Larvae eat newly planted seeds, roots, etc., some eat other insects.
Remarks
They are peculiar in being able to "click" and jump; in most related groups the union of prothorax and mesothorax is such that there is little or no movement.
The clicking is made possible by the flexible union of the prothorax and mesothorax and the prosternal spine that fits into a groove on the mesosternum. If they are placed on their backs they use this mechanism to snap and jump usually falling right side up.
Print References
American Beetles, Vol.2, Chapter 58
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