Wireworms are one of the most significant threats to crop yield in the Canadian Prairies. They feed on a wide range of crops and vegetables, including wheat, corn, potato, and soybean. Yield losses associated with wireworm damage ranges from 1 to 50% annually. Given their exceptionally long larval stages, after invading a field, wireworms pose a serious risk to crops in rotation for years to come. Despite being well-documented as pests, little is known about their species composition/prevalence or the conditions associated with their abundance. This is confounded by the fact that certain wireworm species belong to groups of morphologically indistinguishable ‘cryptic species.’ The objectives of these studies were to understand the risks that wireworms pose to crop production through province-wide surveillance and molecular diagnostics. First, we collected early spring wireworms present in crop fields over a 3-year surveillance period to estimate wireworm abundance and species composition. I then explored associations between wireworm densities and soil characteristics, cultural methods and treatment. Secondly, I determined the genetic structure and population demographics of the predominant species, Hypnoidus bicolor. The overall goal of my research was to provide information that will be valuable for the development of integrated pest management strategies and establishment of economic thresholds for wireworms in Manitoba.
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