94 



PESTS OP THE COTTON PLANT. 



Fig. 105. 



Finl~ Boll-ioorm Caferpillar and Cocoon, tJieJormer 



magnified, the latter natural size. 



the pupa is from fourteen to eighteen days, after which the moth 



emerges. 



The moth is less than half an inch in length, the antennre filiform, the 



palpi upturned, the gen- 

 eral colour grey brown 



with dark blotches and 



suifusions, the wings 



with long brown fringes. 



The moth cannot easily 



be distinguished from 



other Tineid moths by 



its appearance alone. 



Moths fly at night and 



dusk : they are attracted 



by light and are readily 



captured in lamp traps. 

 The pink boll-worms 



are most abundant when 



the cotton forms bolls 



in October or earlier ; the active period is dm-ing the rains and after ; 



in many parts of India the 

 larvae hibernate in the cold 

 weather, but this is not the case 

 for instance in South Gujarat. 

 In Behar the larvae live through 

 the cold weather in the lint or 

 seed of the cotton, emerging as 

 moths only in March or April ; 

 their further activity depends 

 upon circumstances, the moths 

 laying eggs then if cotton is 

 available. There may be a 

 further period of rest during 

 the dry hot months before 

 the rains. Actually larvae have 

 been found active in all raonths 

 of the year, but there are two 

 main periods of rest, from 

 November to March and from 

 April to June, depending upon 

 climatic conditions and the supply of food. 



Fig. 106, 



Pink BoU-irorm Moth. {^Magnified six 



times.) 



