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How to recognize click beetles
Adult click beetles are black, brown or gray in color and range from 12 to 40 mm in length. Some species have dark, circular markings on their backs that mimic the eyes of larger animals. Their larvae are called wireworms because of their thin, segmented and shiny appearance. Although the larvae look like worms at first glance, they actually have six small legs and a robust brown, white or brown body. They can be distinguished from other plant-infesting larvae by their forward-facing mouthparts.
Signs of infection
Residents most often see click beetles near doorways and windows at night. Since they are attracted to light, rooms that have a night light on after dark are also a good place to find them. To identify click beetles, listen for clicking sounds and watch for jumping or flipping.
Fighting nutcracker beetles
In addition to non-chemical control of click beetles, pesticides can be used in homes, gardens, fields and lawns. Always select and use a product registered and labeled for this purpose. Read and follow label instructions carefully. It is always best to call a pest control professional to find out the safest solution to your click beetle problem.
How to Prevent Click Beetle Invasion
Click beetles are less likely to invade yards with reduced outdoor lighting. Turning off interior lights can also prevent pests from congregating on building walls at night. To prevent them from entering homes, seal holes in door and window screens and make sure windows, doors, eaves and chimneys are tightly closed.
Habitat, diet and life cycle
Habitat
Adults are usually found under rocks, in rotting wood, under bark or on plants. Most click beetle larvae live and develop in the soil near areas with plenty of vegetation, especially farmland and gardens.
Diet
The diet of adult and larval click beetles varies greatly. Some species of wireworms eat other ground-based pests, but most feed on the seeds and roots of crops such as potatoes, beans, cotton, corn, wheat, carrots, beets, melons, onions and strawberries. Lawn grasses and ornamental plants can also be food sources. In contrast, adult beetles do not damage plants but instead feed on nectar, pollen, flowers and soft insect pests such as aphids.
Life cycle
Adult female click beetles lay eggs in cultivated fields among weeds or grain crops. After a week or less, larvae emerge and begin to eat surrounding plants. Wireworms can remain as larvae for one to six years before developing into adults, depending on their species.
F.A.Q.
Why do I have click beetles?
Canada is home to several different species of click beetles, six of which are destructive pests of crops due to the voracious appetite of their larvae.
Click beetles like to lay their eggs in brightly colored cultivated fields, among weeds or grain crops, giving the larvae an immediate source of food when they hatch a week later.
The larvae are attracted to the seeds and roots of crops such as potatoes, beans, cotton, corn, wheat, carrots, beets, melons, onions and strawberries. Lawn grasses and ornamental plants can also provide food sources for growing wireworms.
In contrast, adult click beetles feed only on nectar, pollen, flowers, and soft insect pests such as aphids.
Adult click beetles are attracted to light, but typically enter buildings near the fields where they live to seek shelter or prey rather than to reproduce or feed.
They typically enter your home through holes in doors or window screens, as well as through cracks around windows, doors, eaves and chimneys.
How worried should I be about click beetles?
In yards and gardens, click beetle larvae can cause damage to fruits, vegetables, ornamental plant bulbs or turf by boring into tubers or eating away at roots.
Given that click beetles can remain in the larval stage for up to six years before developing into adults, they can cause significant damage year after year if not eradicated.
Adult click beetles are more troublesome. They don't bite, but their loud clicking noises and sudden movements can be frightening.
If you decide to try one of the pesticides on the market to kill click beetles, be sure to choose one that is registered and labeled for that purpose and follow the instructions carefully. For a truly safe solution to your click beetle problem, you will need a professional pest control service.