Bulletin of Insectology (2014) 67, 227-235

Muhammad Sufyan, Daniel Neuhoff and Lorenzo Furlan (2014)
Larval development of Agriotes obscurus under laboratory and semi-natural conditions
Bulletin of Insectology 67 (2), 227-235
Abstract: The biology of the click beetle Agriotes obscurus (L.) (Coleoptera Elateridae) including adult morphology, fecundity, larval and pupal development was studied in a climate chamber at a constant temperature of 20 °C and under semi-natural conditions in an outdoor rearing cage close to Bonn, Germany. The eggs of A. obscurus were deposited either individually or in clusters of 2 to 39 individuals mostly in May. At a constant temperature of 20 °C, embryogenesis took 22.5 days on average and the percentage of egg hatchability was 95-100%. Head width of the larvae ranged from 0.2 mm (L1) to 1.46 mm (L11). In the laboratory, the larvae passed through 8 to 11 instars during an 18 month period, while in the rearing cage up to 13 instars were recorded over a 30 month period with the life cycle not fully completed at the end of the experiment. In the climate chamber, the larvae reached either instar stage L7 (35%), L6 (32%) or L5 (24%) at the end of the first year. In the rearing cage in contrast, 70% of the larvae reached L5 only at the end of the first year. After the second year, the average larval stage was similar (L10) under both laboratory and field conditions. However, under laboratory conditions at 20 °C, approximately 14% of the larvae had transformed into adults after 14 months, hence completing their life cycle with only one overwintering. Cultural practices to control wireworms in sensitive crops should consider the phases of larval development and adapt soil tillage and crop rotation accordingly.
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Database assignments for author(s): Daniel Neuhoff, Lorenzo Furlan

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Agriotes obscurus	Lolium (crop)	Germany