Field and silage corn-Wireworm

Ctenicera and Limonius spp.

Pest description and crop damage Brown, jointed larvae of click beetles. Wireworms cause problems most often when a corn crop follows turf or pasture. Larvae attack seed, weaken and kill seedlings, and reduce stands.

Management-cultural control

Plowing deeply and using treated seed and insecticides are important management tools for these pests.

Management-chemical control

  • beta-cyfluthrin (Baythroid XL) Group 3 insecticide at 0.12 to 0.16 oz ai/1,000 row ft (2.0 to 2.8 fl oz/A). PHI 0 days for green forage and 21 days for grain or fodder. REI 12 hr. Do not exceed 0.088 lb ai/A per season.
  • bifenthrin (Brigade 2EC, Capture LFR) Group 3A insecticide/miticide at 0.0023 to 0.0046 lb ai/1,000 row ft at plant; or 0.047 to 0.062 lb ai/A preplant incorporated. PHI 30 days for harvest, grazing, or cutting for feed. REI 12 hr. Do not exceed 0.1 lb ai/A at planting or 0.3 lb ai/A per season. Do not apply Capture LFR as foliar treatment.
  • bifenthrin/chlorethoxyfos Group 1B insecticide
  • SmartChoice 5G at 3.0 to 3.5 oz/100 ft. REI 2 days or 3 days where annual rainfall is less than 25 inches. T-band over the row or apply in furrow. Apply with Smartbox system. Do not exceed one application per year.
  • SmartChoice HC at 1.15 to 1.67 oz/1,000 row ft. See spacing charts in label for actual application rates per A. REI 2 days or 3 days where annual rainfall is less than 25 inches. T-band over the row or apply in furrow. Apply with Smartbox system. Do not exceed one application per year.
  • bifenthrin/indol butyric acid (Empower 2) at 0.002 to 0.006 lb ai/1,000 row ft. PHI 30 days in furrow. REI 24 hr. Do not exceed 0.3 lb ai/A foliar and at planting.
  • bifenthrin/zeta-cypermethrin (Hero) Group 3A insecticide at 0.04 to 0.1 lb ai/A in furrow (4.5 to 11.2 fl oz/A). See label for specific fl oz per 100 linear ft based on row spacing. PHI 30 days grain and stover; 60 days forage. REI 12 hr. Do not graze for 30 days after treatment. 0.099 lb/A zeta-cypermethrin and 0.398 lb/A bifenthrin per year.
  • chlorethoxyfos/bifenthrin (SmartChoice 5G, SmartChoice HC) Group 1B insecticide-Smartchoice 5G application rate at 3.0 to 5.0 oz 1,000 row ft, SmartChoice HC 1.0 to 1.67 oz 1,000 row ft. See label for actual oz based on row spacing. REI 2 days or 3 days where annual rainfall is less than 25 inches. T-band over the row or apply in furrow. Apply with Smartbox system. Do not exceed one application per year.
  • cyantraniliprole (Fortenza) at 0.125 to 0.5 lb ai/seed. REI 12 hr. Do not exceed 0.4 lb ai/A of cyantraniliprole products per year.
  • cyfluthrin (Tombstone) insecticide at 0.12 to 0.16 fl oz 1,000 row ft (2.0 to 2.8 fl oz/A based on 30 in row spacing). PHI 0 days for green forage and 21 days for grain or fodder. REI 12 hr. Do not exceed 0.175 lb ai/A per season
  • ethoprop (Mocap 15G) Nematicide/insecticide at 1.2 oz ai/1,000 row ft. REI 48 hr or 72 hr where annual rainfall is less than 25 inches. One application per season. Incorporate in band above seed row.
  • gamma-cyhalothrin (Declare) Group 3 insecticide at 0.0004 lb ai/1,000 row ft at plant. PHI 21 days. REI 24 hr. Do not exceed 0.06 lb ai/A from at plant and foliar treatments.
  • lambda-cyhalothrin (Warrior II) Group 3 insecticide at 0.005 lb ai/1,000 row ft (planting). PHI 21 days. REI 24 hr. Do not exceed 0.12 lb ai/A from at plant and foliar applications.
  • permethrin (Loveland Permethrin) Group 3 insecticide at 0.1 to 0.15 lb ai/A pre-plant or at-plant. PHI 0 days for forage, 30 days for grain harvest or fodder (stover). REI 12 hr. As preemergent, apply from 5 days before planting up to crop emergence. Apply in furrow or as band at planting.
  • phorate (Thimet 20G) 0.056 to 0.075 lb ai/1,000 row ft at planting or cultivation, broadcast or banded but not in-furrow. REI 48 hr. Limit one application.
  • tefluthrin (Force 3G) Group 3 insecticide at 0.0075 to 0.0094 lb ai/1,000 row ft. T-band or in-furrow at planting. REI 0 hr. Do not exceed 0.327 lb ai/A per year. Use only once per season.
  • terbufos (Counter 15G) at 0.056 to 0.075 lb ai/1,000 row ft. REI 48 hr or 72 hr if annual rainfall is less than 25 inches. Band or furrow at planting.

Seed treatments

  • abamectin/thiamethoxam (Avicta Duo Corn)-Apply as slurry to corn seed. Consult label.
  • abamectin/thiamethoxam/azoxystrobin (Avicta Complete)-Refer to label for instructions.
  • clothianidin (Poncho 600) at 0.25 to 0.5 mg ai/kernel or 0.22 lb ai/80,000 seed unit. Commercial treaters only.
  • clothianidin/Bacillus firmus (Poncho Votivo) at 0.5 mg ai/seed. Do not exceed 0.5 mg ai/seed.
  • imidacloprid/carboxin/metalaxyl (Latitude Seed Treatment) at 1.5 oz product per 42 lb of seed. Use as a dry mixture in the planter box as a seed treatment prior to planting. See label for complete instructions. REI 24 hr.
  • imidacloprid (Gaucho 600)-Refer to label for planter box treatment. REI 24 hr.
  • permethrin/carboxin (Kernel Guard Supreme) at 1.5 oz canister per 42 lb seed. Apply to seed at planting time with canister applicator tube system. REI 12 hr. Do not graze or feed livestock on treated areas for six weeks after planting.
  • thiamethoxam (Cruiser 5FS)-Commercial seed treaters only. See label instructions.

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