THE BOLL WEEVIL PROBLEM. cay 
color, but this passes to a gray or nearly black shade in a few weeks’ 
time. The general appearance of the insect will be evident from the 
accompanying illustration (fig. 2). 
Many insects resemble the boll weevil more or less closely. In 
fact, there are hundreds of species of weevils in this country that 
may be easily mistaken for the enemy of cotton. Many mistaken 
reports about the occurrence of weevils far outside of the infested 
area have been due to mistakes that have arisen on account of this 
similarity. The only safe way to determine whether any insect is 
the boll weevil is to send it to an entomologist for examination. In 
the field the most conspicuous indication of the presence of the boll 
weevil is the flaring (fig. 4) and falling of great numbers of squares. 
However, unfavorable climatic conditions and careless cultivation 
frequently cause great shedding. If excessive shedding be noticed 
and the squares upon being cut open show a white, curved grub 
(fig. 5) that has fed upon the con- 
tents, there is little doubt that the 
boll weevil is the insect causing the 
damage. 
The boll weevil passes the winter 
in the adult stage. In the spring 
and throughout the fruiting season 
of cotton the eggs are deposited by Cea Sear Harve at 
the female weevils in cavities formed times natural size. (Author's illus- 
by eating into the fruit of the plant ae 
(see fig. 4). An egg hatches under normal conditions in about 
38 days and the grub immediately begins to feed. In from 7 
to 12 days the larva or grub (fig. 3, at left) passes into its pupal 
stage (fig. 3, at mght), corresponding to the cocoon of butterflies 
and moths. This stage lasts from 3 to 5 days. Then the adult issues 
and in about 5 days begins the production of another generation. 
Climatic conditions cause considerable variation in the duration of 
the stages, but on an average it requires from 2 to 3 weeks for the 
weevil to develop from the egg to the adult. Males and females are 
preduced in about equal numbers. The males feed upon the squares 
and bolls without moving until the food begins to deteriorate. The 
females refrain from depositing in squares visited by other females. 
This applies throughout most of the season, but late in the fall, when 
all the fruit has become infested, several eggs may be placed in a 
single square or boll. As many as 15 larve have been found in a 
boll. The squares are greatly preferred as food and as places for 
depositing eggs. As long as a large supply of squares is present the 
bolls are not damaged to any serious extent. The bolls, therefore, 
have a fair chance to develop as long as squares are being formed. 
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