Wireworms
This lawn, garden & farm pest is found throughout the world. Wireworms get their bad reputation because they feed on grasses, sods, and various crops with great destructive precision. They do this by:
Crops or grasses attacked by wireworms have greatly reduced plant populations because the wireworms feed on the seeds prior to germination or just after germination. After this, the destruction continues because whatever survives gets their roots & stems eaten and bored into. This is a very persistent pest indeed. 
Good News and Bad News: The good news is that the Click Beetle (what the wireworm turns into eventually) does no damage and is not considered a problem. The adult wireworm – click beetle, usually lives 10-12 months.
The bad news is that the wireworm in larval development takes from 2-6 years in the soil to grow into the click beetle. Meanwhile, all the time the larval development occurs the wireworm is feeding on the roots & stems of plants.
Detection:
Wireworms are among the most difficult pest to detect. A gardener, homeowner, or farmer may not discover a wireworm problem until bare, patchy areas appear. By this time they have done their damage.
Every year you can do the following to help control or eliminate wireworms:
- Shallow tillage to prevent vegetation growth
- Shallow plowing to prevent deep penetration of wireworms
- Increase soil drainage (they like poorly drained soil)
- Plowing 1-6 weeks in the fall to expose the wireworms to natural enemies and frost.
- Insecticides – Make sure you call your local county extension agent first to see which brands are best for your particular region.
- Keep an eye out for them by setting bait traps made of potatoes which can be checked periodically.
Wireworms are persistent and damaging once they get a roothold.
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