English edit

Etymology edit

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

Noun edit

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 edit