374 JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY [Vol. 2 



in consequence, the stalks on tlie plowed lands lay in pieces either on 

 the surface or partly buried. The results of rigorous activity was dis- 

 played with the prevalence of live larvae and pup^e in the damp bur- 

 ied parts of stalks, scarcely any dead stages occurring with them. 

 With the dry uncovered or standing stalks, however, the exposure to 

 freezing weather had evidently resulted in a large fatality, as most 

 of the stages, including the few adults found, were dead Among the 

 slight survival of stages above ground the pupse exceeded in propor- 

 tionate number, thus showing a superior hardiness of this stage. Some 

 dead adults which were taken from standing stalks seemed to have per- 

 ished suddenly when just ready for emergence, their bodies, in fact, 

 filling the exit hole. The conclusion was reached that the conditions 

 most favorable for survival depended upon the protection of earth, 

 such as occurred with root stalks and buried pieces. 



A diligent search was made to ascertain if the boll weevil might be 

 found hibernating in the cavities formed by Anecerus fasciculatus, or 

 otherwise in split or hollow stems. Instead of finding any boll weev- 

 ils, however, other insects were taken, among which were certain 

 weevils that are apt to be mistaken by planters and field laborers for 

 the cotton boll weevil. These in particular were the cow-pea pod- 

 weevil {Chalcodermus ceneus Boh.) and a common grain weevil {Cal- 

 andra oryzce Linn.). The failure to find a single boll weevil in the stalks 

 at this time does not disprove its probable choice of this form of shel- 

 ter, which may reasonably be expected to harbor this pest when in close 

 proximity to infested cotton fields. In fact, cornstalks are kno^vn to 

 afford very favorable hibernation quarters for the boll weevil, which, 

 following after the ravages of Armcerus fasciculatus, would find re- 

 treat doubly accessible. 



To determine whether similar work by Anecerus fasciculatus might 

 be carried on in other localities of Louisiana an inspection of old corn- 

 fields was made at Mansura on March 1 and 2, which resulted in find- 

 ing the same kind of invasion by the insects as at Alexandria. The 

 opinion that such infestation was likely a matter of general occurrence 

 was sustained by Mr. W. D. Hunter, who reported as an estimate that 

 half of the stalks which he saw in the vicinity of Mansura, six days 

 later, showed more or less injury, and with as many as five emergence 

 holes appearing on a joint. Subsequently Mr. "W. D. Pierce, while 

 stopping at this place on a trip of inspection April 13, observed that 

 the weevils were breeding abundantly in the same manner as noted 

 before. 



Since the facts had now determined an infestation of more than lo- 

 cal extent, its significance applied prospectively to a large region in 



