On the Movement of Wireworms of the Genus Agriotes Esch. (Coleoptera, Elateridae) on the Surface of the Soil and Their Sensitivity to Light*

Abstract

ABSTRACT During the course of experimental work on the behaviour of wireworms in relation to temperature (Falconer, 1945), stocks of wireworms were kept in sand in glass jars, and it was often noticed after a jar had been left undisturbed for some time that the surface of the sand was pierced by many small holes of the size of a wireworm burrow. This fact suggested that, contrary to general belief, wireworms might sometimes come out on to the surface of the soil and wander about before re-entering, perhaps at a different point. If this were the case, the fact might have considerable importance in connexion with migration and possibly with food finding. Reference to the matter is scanty in the literature. Subklew (1934) stated that though the larvae are well adapted to life in the soil, they are also able to crawl about extensively on the surface : in a later paper, however (Subklew, 1935), he concluded that a wireworm which had come out on to the surface would at once be led below ground again by its thigmotactic response. Guéniat (1937) speaks of collecting abundant wireworm material in early spring without digging, the larvae being found under stones and lumps of earth: these larvae, he says, eat young grass shoots and dandelion leaves. Though it is not explicitly stated, his remarks strongly suggest that wireworms in Switzerland habitually move about on the surface of the soil in early spring. There does not, however, appear to be any evidence of similar behaviour on the part of wireworms in England.