304 JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY [Vol. 6 



been carefully redescribecl by Mr. W. Dwight Pierce, of the Cotton 

 Boll-weevil Laboratory in Texas. 



This weevil was rediscovered by the writer, September 21, 1910, 

 at Cumbibira in the Piura valley, a little below Catacaos, where it 

 was found to be a pest of cotton, breeding and feeding in the buds of 

 the squares. The same year it was found infesting cotton throughout 

 the main districts of the Piura and Chira valleys, antl it was later 

 found to be entirely confined to the cotton plant. The above was 

 the first recovery of the species after Boheman's description of it, 

 yet it had doubtless been breeding continuously in the cotton district 

 of the Peruvian coast region ever since and for many years prior 

 to Boheman's publication. The results of its work were conspicuous 

 in the cotton fields during all these years and received the name of 

 "hielo, " yet the presence of the weevil itself as the definite cause of 

 these results remained unknown until 1910. The term ''hielo" was 

 originally applied to the yellowed and withered squares and ixewly-set 

 bolls, but has since been incorrectly extended to include dropping 

 and defective ripening or premature to retraded opening and decay 

 of the large bolls, due probably both to Dysdercus attacks and to an 

 undue degree of soil-moisture during the ripening season. It is thus 

 applied quite indiscriminately in Peru at present, but it may be stated 

 here that practically all ''hielo" of squares and newly-set bolls is 

 the result of the work of A. vestitus, either in feeding or in oviposi- 

 tion and breeding. 



In 1911 the presence of the weevil in cotton squares in the Guaya- 

 quil district of Ecuador was demonstrated, and it was also found to 

 occur far to the south, in the Chancay valley a little north of Lima. 

 During 1912 it was found abundant in April in the Casma valley, 

 which is just north of the Chancay districts; in some number in July 

 at Lima; in a very few specimens in July above Chosica, the locahty 

 being in the Rimac valley at about 3,000 feet; and in numbers in 

 June at Tambo de Mora, which is just north of Pisco. It is thus 

 quite evident that this weevil exists as a cotton plague throughout 

 the Ecuadorian and Peruvian coast regions. 



Response to Climatic Conditions 



Probably the most highly instructive region in the Avorld for the 

 study of cotton weevil bionomics is comprised in this known range 

 of A. vestitus. The cotton districts of the coast and foothill region 

 from Guayaquil southward to Pisco and lea present every variety 

 of climate above the frost-point temperature that is possible of at- 

 tainment where the cotton plant may be supported in bearing condi- 

 tion. For example, the locahties Guayaquil, Piura, Lima, Chosica, 



