Better known as wireworm, click beetle larvae are trouble. Because it has been difficult to determine which wireworm species are found in a field, this has made response tricky. With new research by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), time and guesswork may be eliminated.

For nearly a decade, Sexsmith area farmer and Alberta Grains region 6 director Greg Sears has opened his fields to researchers for pest studies. These researchers set traps, use sweep nets and record findings. During a routine sweep in 2022, the net captured a donkey click beetle (Dalopius asellus), an uncommon type.