wireworm

English

Etymology

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

Noun

wireworm (plural wireworms)

1. The larva of the click beetle.
   • 2009 February 6, Veronica Heath, “Country diary”, in The Guardian‎^[1]:

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

Derived terms

• tobacco wireworm