Talking about species

1
Talking about species
2
The need to be specific

• Basic IPM tenet before we can competently
  control a pest we need to know what it is
• Without knowing the wireworm species we are
  working with the more contradictory field
  observations become
• Crop damage is worse in the wet/dry areas of the
  field
• Crop damage is worse the first/second year after
  planting behind sod

3
New Jersey wireworms
(Not including Conoderus lividus)
Melanotus communis (?) is the most important
wireworm
4
Id by the 9th abdominal segment
NJ M. communis has only 4 striations in patch,
species description says 7 to 12
5
One more
6
Paul Johnson Insect Research Collection Agricultur
e Hall 219 Box 2207a South Dakota State
University Brookings, SD 57007 1-605-688-4438 Ema
il paul.johnson_at_sdstate.edu Interested in
collaborating on wireworm/click beetle projects,
especially if grant funded