False wireworms overwinter as partially grown larvae or adults. Adults become active in the spring and lay their eggs in the soil. Larvae from these eggs hatch and mature by the end of the summer, when a second period of oviposition occurs. The larvae that hatch from these second generation eggs will overwinter along with the surviving adults. The larvae feed on seeds, roots and underground stems of their host plants. Wheat seed can be attacked before, or soon after, germination. In dry soils, one larva may follow the drill row and destroy a series of seeds, causing bare patches in the field. Characteristic damage is seed with the ends nibbled on and the germ removed. Losses can be severe when persistent dry weather in the fall delays sprouting. Additional damage may occur the following spring. False wireworms pupate in earthen cells in the soil. The adults can live up to three years. Heavier populations typically develop in fields where wheat has been planted continuously for several years.

To detect potential problems before planting, sample five to 10 places in a field by sifting 1 square foot of soil, dug to a depth of 4 inches, through a screen with 1/4-inch mesh. An average density of one larva per 3 square feet, suggests an infestation that may be of economic importance. Although a wide range of plants serve as food, crop rotation out of wheat for at least two years will lower population densities; damage is rarely economic in Kansas unless wheat is grown continuously. Piles of decomposing straw and vegetation provide attractive shelter for adults and should be removed. Seed treatment with neonicotinoids such as imidacloprid (Gaucho, etc) and thiamethoxam (Cruiser) does not usually provide adequate control of these pests.