Seance da n Mai 1913. G9 



The life history of the Pink Bolhvorm as known 

 at present is brietly as follows: The female moth 

 lays her eggs on the bolls, leaves or other parts of 

 the cotton plant. The eggs hatch giving rise to small 

 caterpillars which may" feed on tlie leaves for a short 

 period bnt lînally enter the bolls making their way 

 to the seeds the contents of which they devour. 

 Pupation is said to lake place in the dead bolls or 

 cracks in the soil etc. 



In Egypt it is thought that there will prove to 

 be several generations during th.c summer. The late 

 autumn genera lion, as we now know, remains in 

 the seed during llie winter and spring in the larval 

 stage. At first this was thought to be true hibern- 

 ation, but from our experiments which demonstrate 

 the marked elïecl moisture has on the larvae inducing 

 them to leave the seed and pupate we arc inclined 

 to think that really this supposed hibernation may 

 be aestivation, the period of supposed hibernation 

 say November to May or later perhaps, corresponding 

 to a rainless dry period in the true uative home of 

 the Pink Bolhvorm. We are still in the dark as to 

 the true home of the Pink Bolhvorm but for the 

 scanty data at present available it looks as if it does 

 not belong to Egypt but has been introduced within 

 comparatively recent years. In India it is a well 

 known cottonpest as it was from this country that 

 the Pink Bolhvorm was lirst recorded, From India it 

 was introduced to Hawai in cottonseed and has 

 become a pest. This species is also known in German 

 East Africa and Madagascar but whether or not it is 

 introduced or indigenous to these countries remains 

 to be seen. 



