Wireworm

Common synonyms include: click beetle larva, elaterid larva, pest larva, root pest, wireworm larva, worm.

noun

noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun

1
The larva of the click beetle.
"A farmer tells me that moles can be beneficial because they eat a lot of wireworms and other pests, not just earthworms."
2
wormlike larva of various elaterid beetles; feeds on roots of many crop plants wordnet

"A farmer tells me that moles can be beneficial because they eat a lot of wireworms and other pests, not just earthworms."

From wire + worm, because of their slenderness and unusual hardness.