First report of Lanelater fuscipes (Fabricius) as an emerging pest in field crops across India

A highly destructive pest, Lanelater fuscipes (Coleoptera: Elateridae) recorded infesting different field cops in Karnataka, India. Commonly known as wireworm was observed infesting maize, groundnut, sugarcane, ginger and onion crops, marking a new record of insect infestation. The surveys conducted between 2020 and 2021 revealed the expansion of pest into neighbouring regions. The wireworm grubs cause substantial damage to seeds, roots, stems, tubers, and other subterranean plant parts, promoting secondary infections by pathogenic bacteria and fungi. Incidence rates across different crops ranged from 20.93 per cent to 37.16%, with notable severity in maize during the seedling stage, in groundnut at both germination and pod-filling stages, and in sugarcane at germination. Ginger and onion crops exhibited higher incidence during the vegetative stage. This report highlights the urgent need for timely and effective management strategies to mitigate the spread and impact of L. fuscipes.