Agriotes ustulatus, commonly known as western click beetle, is a species from the family Elateridae that is widely distributed in central and southern Europe. The larvae (wireworms) are regarded as agricultural pests of maize and other crops like sugar beet, sunflower, wheat or potatoes. In maize, mainly the germinating seeds are attacked, but in other crops the roots of seedlings are damaged. The adult beetles do not damage crops and feed mainly on the flowers of weeds. They can be monitored with pheromone traps and the larvae are mainly controlled by seed dressing with insecticides. A female lays around 80 eggs in the top layer of the soil and the larvae emerge after about 2 weeks.
From Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is it venomous or poisonous?
We have no record of Agriotes ustulatus being toxic, poisonous or venomous. That is not proof that it is safe. Never eat, touch or handle a wild plant, mushroom or animal on the strength of an identification; ask someone qualified.
Easily confused with
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Coleoptera
- Family
- Elateridae
- Genus
- Agriotes
- Species
- Agriotes ustulatus
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