Wireworms and click beetles in Quebec - How they change the pesticide regulations

Wireworms are major pests of several crops in North America. Their management is often based on pesticides used as seed treatments. Until recently, in Quebec, almost 100% of corn seeds and 50% of soybean seeds were treated with neonicotinoids.

Studies have been conducted in Quebec to identifiy the Elateridae species in field crops from 2011 to 2016 via the Pest Monitoring Network and to evaluate the populations and the damage in fields.

Based on these studies, pesticide regulations have changed in Quebec in order to reduce the use of seed treatments. We also developed a model and a tool to evaluate in which fields seed treatments are required and to help agronomists and producers into their decision-making process.

These changes should be a source of inspiration to develop new atlernative tools to monitor and manage wireworms and click beetles.