10 Farmers’ Bulletin 1262. 
Unlike some related insects, the boll weevil is not attracted to light. 
The fact that somewhat similar species do come to lights in great 
numbers at times has frequently caused the belief that the pest could 
be controlled by the use of trap lights. 
An interesting habit of the boll weevil is to feign death—that is, 
to “play possum,” or “sull,” as it is popularly called. When dis- 
turbed, the insects usually contract their limbs and drop to the 
ground. This habit is not equally strong in all individuals. 
The age to which weevils live varies according to conditions. Dur- 
ing the winter the lon- 
gevity is much greater 
than in the summer. 
During the summer sea- 
son the majority of wee- 
vils do not live longer 
than 50 days. During 
the cooler part of the 
year many of them live 
as long as six months. 
The longest-lived weevil 
on record lived from De- 
cember 10 to the follow- 
ing October, a period of 
about 11 months. Un- 
doubtedly such pro- 
longed life is excep- 
tional in the usual form 
of the weevil. The Ari- 
zona weevil, however, 
has been known to sun» 
vive for more than a 
Fic. 5.—Cotton square showing larva of boll weevil 
in position. Natural size. year. 
HIBERNATION. 
As has been pointed out, the boll weevil passes the winter in the 
adult stage. At the time in the fall when frosts occur immature 
stages may still be found in the squares or bolls. If the food supply 
is sufficient, many of these immature stages continue their develop- 
ment at a very slow rate and finally emerge as adults. Thus there 
may be a somewhat continuous production of adults during the 
winter. Ordinarily, however, this is not the case, since the frosts 
that destroy the cotton generally kill practically all of the immature 
stages of the weevil. 
