[harry]

When planting my spuds I think I spotted a few wireworm where previously they had not been a problem, does anyone know why

[JayG]

They are usually a pest found in previously grassed areas, gradually dying out after a few years due to lack of their preferred food.

Doesn't mean you can't be unlucky though - are you sure of the ID?

[harry]

I'm not sure of the ID but the land has been cultivated for some years. They are small brown worms abot an inch in length.

[JayG]

This link includes pictures of wireworms, and also advice about trapping them and avoiding some of the damage they can cause.

(If they had lots of legs they were probably centipedes - not at all similar but quite common and often thought of as being "baddies", which they're not.) 

[lucywil]

I find that what most people on our allotments call wireworms are actually centipedes and not wireworms at all, so might be worth a look on google to check what you are dealing with

[mumofstig]

if it was fat it could have been a cutworm, I've noticed a few of them about this year, when digging. Again plenty of photos on Google