SB 

 818 

 C578 

 ENT 



Circular No. 6, Second Series. 



United States Department of A^c^ricultnre, 



DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 



THE MEXICAN COTTON-BOLL WEEVIL. 



{Aiilhonomus (/randin Holi. ) 



GENEIt.VI, .\rri:.\ltANCK AXI) MKTHOl) OI" WORK. 



This insect is a small, grayish weevil, of the shajie and general appearance .shown 

 in Fig. 1 rt, and measuring a little less than a quarter of an inch in length, which is 

 found in cotton fields throughout the season, puncturing and laying its eggs in the 

 squares and bolls. The larva;, of the shape and appearance shown at Fig. 1 c, and 

 measuring a little over three-eighths of an iuch in leugth when full grown, live 

 withiu the buds aud 

 bolls and feed upon 

 their interiorsubstaucc. 

 The squares attacked 

 usually drop, but most 

 of the damaged bolls 

 remain upon the plant 

 and become stunted or 

 dwarfed, except late in 

 the season, when they 

 either dry or rot. 



Di.si Kir.ri ION. 



The species is orig- 

 iTially Mexican, and for 

 many years has been 

 found in the region 

 around Monclova, in tin- 

 State of Coahuila. I'rnm is,">(! to ISC' it was so bad in that region that cotton plant- 

 ing was abandoned. It appeared in tin', vicinity of Matamoros some years ago, 

 cro.ssed the river to Browns\ illc, and withiu the last two or three years has spread 

 north into the country around San Diego, Alice, and Beeville, Tex., and threatens 

 to spread throughout the cotton-growing regions of Texas, if not to other States. 

 The accompanying map shows the distribution of the insect at the close of the sea- 



1 



Fig. 1. 



-Anthonnmus giandis: a. arlnlt l)oetle; b, pupa; c, larva — all 

 eularired. 



