Wireworm Field Day

Wireworm Field Day

Join WSU Extension for a field day focused on managing wireworm in organic production systems. The field day will provide a review of research trials evaluating trap crops (in this case wheat) and organic insectidal bait (a spinosad-based product) for effectiveness in reducing wireworm damage in lettuce and other row crops.

The field day will occur the morning of July 17th 9am to noon.

Background

Wireworms, the larval stage of click beetles (Coleoptera: Elateridae), can cause substantial damage to a wide range of agronomic and vegetable crops (Figure 1). Two introduced species of wireworm, Agriotes lineatus and A. obscurus have spread in Washington State, resulting in serious economic damage to high value vegetable crops. Wireworms thrive on pasture and grain rotations, which are commonly used by organic growers to maintain and build soil organic matter. Growers in western Washington have indicated that wireworms are a primary pest challenge; yet options for control of this pest are very limited. Using a preferred host as a trap crop planted near the cash crop is potentially a low cost, environmentally friendly option for wireworm management. In this project, research personnel and cooperating farmers are using lettuce production beds to compare effects on wireworms of (1) trap cropping with wheat; (2) a spinosad insecticidal bait product; (3) combination of treatments and (4) a no-management control.