29 



is only al)oul l-.'iO ol' an iiicli lout*, while and very 

 delicate. Plale II. limine 15. Hi^gs are always deposited 

 in cavities which the I'eniale eats in the s(iuares or bolls 

 and nowhere else upon the cotton j)lant, and wcver in 

 any other common i)lant. 



'2. Cw///?.- From the egi< there liatches in a few days 

 a white, legless grub or worm which does not at ail 

 resemble the beetle which it may finally become. The 

 grub of the boll weevil, (Plate III. figures f) and 6 ,and 

 Plate IV. figures 4, 5, 0, 7, 8.) resembles very closely the 

 "worms"' found in peaches and ])lums, but those are 

 the grubs of another species of weevil, known as the 

 plum curculio. The boll weevil grub grows steadily 

 from a length of about 1-25 of an inch when 

 it hatches until it 'becomes fully grown and 

 measures 1-5 to 2-5 of an inch in length, Plate II, 

 figures 4 and 5. The largest grubs are produced in 

 large bolls, Plate IV, figures 6 and 8. 



;}. The Pupa. — In order to attain the beetle form the 

 grub must pass through an intermediate "transforma- 

 tion stage", which is known as the "i)upa". In tlm 

 stage no food is taken, and there is a complete change 

 of the appearance and of structure. The grub sheds 

 its skin and instead of the legless, wingless, snoutless 

 "worm'\ the pupa appears with all of these organs 

 forming in sheaths closely applied to the body. Plate 

 II. figures 6 and 7. In this stage the insect is very deli- 

 cate, and perfectly helpless. It. as well as the egg and 

 grub stages, is passed wholly within the interior of 

 ihe square or boll, Plate HI, figure 7; Plate IV, figure 9. 

 These three constitute the immature stages in the life 

 of the weevil, but are as characteristic of the species 

 as is the adult form- 



1. Adiill. — After a few days the pupa sheds its skin 

 and becomes the fully formed adult weevil, Plate II, 

 figures 1 and 2. having the legs and snout free and 

 usable, as are also the wings. The wings when not in 

 use are folded back under, protected and hidden by, 

 the hard wing-covers, which meet in a straight line 

 over the middle of the back of the beetle. For a few 

 days the adult also remains protected within the square 

 or boll while it becomes hardened and more able to 

 care for itself. It then cuts a circular hole just the 

 size of its body in the wall of its cell in the square, 

 Plate III, figure 8, and through this opening makes its 

 escape into the outer world, where from that time on 



