4 FARMERS’ BULLETIN 135. 
occasions at Batesburg, 8S. C., all stages of the red spider have been - 
seen in winter on plants in outdoor locations. 
Fic. 3.—Cotton plant in an early stage of 
infestation by the red spider. Many leaves 
are discolored and some of the lower ones 
have dropped. (Author’s illustration.) 
Feeding continues 
more or less, depending on the 
temperature, on several species 
of plants which bear leaves 
throughout the winter. 
The great mass of red spi- 
ders pass the winter on wild 
plants, and since these support 
the mite during the time of 
year when it is most difficult 
for the pest to survive it is 
clear that the wild plants are 
of great importance. Among 
the more common of these 
winter plants are hedge nettle, 
evening primrose, Jerusalem 
oak, wild blackberry, sow this- 
tle, wild geranium, and wild 
vetch. 
With the recurrence of warm 
spring days, the red spiders 
multiply much faster until 
their winter food plants become too crowded to support them 
properly. New feeding grounds then become necessary, and migra- 
tions take place which carry them to 
numerous species of spring plants 
and weeds. 
The first spring generation of fe- 
males usually develops about March 
From this date until about May 
31, when cotton becomes attractive to 
the pest, the red spider advances 
from the winter plants in several 
successive migrations. During this 
interval five broods of red spiders 
usually develop, so that each winter- 
ing female by the first of June has 
produced, theoretically, over 300,- 
000,000 offsprings. In the mean- 
time most weeds and garden plants 
that stand in the path of the red 
spider’s advance infested. 
» 
ol. 
become 
Fic. 
vaneed stage of infestation by the 
4.—Cotton plant in well ad- 
red spider. Nearly all leaves, 
squares, and bolls have been shed. 
(Author’s illustration.) 
During the spring and summer months the red spider, in the lati- 
tude of South Carolina, requires on an average a little less than 
