 Western corn rootworm immature (left) and adult Western Corn Rootworm The adult beetles are about 6 mm long, slender, and yellowish-green with three dark stripes, or a dark area formed by the merger of these three stripes, on the back. The larvae are slender, threadlike worms up to 12 mm long. They are white to pale yellow with a brown head and terminal abdominal segment. Larval feeding on corn roots reduces yields directly and predisposes the roots to stalk rot and the plants to lodging. Adults feed on the developing silks, which may prevent pollination, causing missing kernels and severely reduced yields. Host plants: corn, wild barley, other grasses.
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