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Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

Small larvae with dots on abdominal sections

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This is a picture of a leek moth larva. Leek moths are members of the Lepidopteran order which includes butterflies and moths. Lepidopteran larva have three pairs of legs on their thorax and prolegs on their abdomen. Wireworms are the larval stage of click beetles. Beetles belong to the Coleopteran order. Although some beetle larva do look like moth larva, the quickest way to differentiate the two is to look for prolegs. Beetle larvae do not have prolegs.

Leek moth larva Wireworm larva

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