Wireworms are a common soil-dwelling pest of corn (Zea mays L.) in the Midwestern United States. Damage caused by wireworms can result in as much as 35% of a stand to be lost. Wireworms are a problematic group to control and study due to their long life cycle, subterranean habitat, and the difficulty involved in identification. The objective of our research is to identify the species of wireworms attacking corn in the Midwest using molecular markers. Specifically, we are examining mitochondrial and nuclear genes using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism and gene sequencing. The species analyzed include several members of the genus Melanotus as well as Conoderus lividus, Aeolus mellillus, Hemicrepidius memnonius, and Limonius dubitans. We expect to find both inter-and intraspecific variation among the species examined via analysis of fragment patterns and sequence data. Preliminary results suggest enough inter-specific variation to allow molecular identification of species. By constructing a molecular key we hope to increase the ease and accuracy of identification, facilitating further investigations into their biology and control.