Wire-Worms are the larva; of various species of Elater, Click Beetle, or Skip Jack. Of these there are more than fifty species; but the most common are:-

E. segetis, of which the wire-worm is often so abundant in old pastures, and of which the ravages are so great occasionally upon our corn crops.

E. Sputator

Spring beetle. The larva or wire-worm of this is particularly destructive to the lettuce and carrot.

The following general description of the click beetles and their larva:, is given by Mr. Cuthbert Johnson, in the Farmers' Encyclopaedia: -

"Click beetles are readily known by having the sternum produced behind in a strong spine fitted to enter a groove in the abdomen, situated between the intermediate pair of legs. By bringing these parts suddenly into contact, the insects are enabled to spring to some height into the air, and thus recover their natural position when they happen to fall on their backs, which they frequently do when dropping from plants to the ground. A special provision of this kind is rendered necessary in consequence of the shortness and weakness of their legs.

"The wire-worms have a long, slender, and cylindrical body, covered by a hard crust, which has obtained for them the above name. They are composed of twelve segments, fitting closely to each other ; and are provided with six conical scaly feet, placed in pairs on the three segments next the head. The latter is furnished with short antenna' palpi, and two strong mandibles or jaws.

"To remove the wire-worm from a soil, no mode is known but frequently digging it and picking them out, as their yellow colour renders them easily detected. To prevent their attack upon a crop, mix a little spirit of tar, or a larger quantity of gas lime, with the soil. It has been stated that growing white mustard drives them away, and it is certainly worth the trial. To entrap them, and tempt them away from a crop they have attacked, bury potatoes in the soil near the crop ; and if each potato has a stick thrust through it, this serves as a handle by which it may be taken up, and the wire worms which have penetrated it be destroyed. To decoy them from beds of anemones, ranunculuses, etc, it is said to be a successful plan to grow round the beds an edging of daisies, for the roots of which they have a decided preference.

"If a crop be attacked, as the pansy or carnation, our only resource is to bury in the soil other vegetable matters, of which they are fonder than they are of the roots of those flowers. Potatoes, with a string tied round them to mark where they are, and to facilitate their being taken out of the soil in which they are buried ; and carrots similarly thrust into the earth where the wire-worm is ravaging, are successful lures. The vermin prefers these, buries itself in them, and may be easily removed. The roots of the white mustard also are said to drive the wire-worm away from the soil on which it is grown."-Brit. Farm. Mag.

Mr. Glenny says, "that Mr. May, nurseryman, Tottenham, plants the common daisy round his principal beds, finding the wire-worm prefer it to the carrot." - Gard. Gazette.

And Mr. Oram, Edmonton, says "that the double daisy is employed by one of his friends, who, in one summer, from a row of daisies three hundred feet long, has taken 2,000 wire-worms." - Gard. Chron.