26 



from fig. 5. The insect exists in four stages — egg, larva, pupa, and 

 adult (lig. 6). All the stages except the last occur only inside of the cotton 

 square or boll. The egg is deposited by the female weevil in a cavity 

 formed by eating into the fruit of the plant (fig. 7). It hatches, under 

 normal conditions, in tvvo or three days, and the grub immediately 

 begins to feed. In from seven to twelve days the larva or grub passes 

 into the pupal or quiet stage, corresponding to the cocoon of the silk- 

 worm. This stage lasts 

 from three to five days. 

 Then the adult weevil 

 issues, and in about seven 

 days begins the produc- 

 tion of another genera- 

 tion. Climatic condi- 

 tions cause considerable 

 variation, but on an aver- 

 age it requires from two 

 to three weeks for a 

 weevil to develop from 

 the egg to the adult. 



The plainest indication 

 of the presence of the 

 weevil in a cotton field is 

 in the flaring (fig. 8) and 

 falling of the squares or 

 forms, which take place, 

 in general, within a day 

 or two after the egg 

 is deposited. However, 

 as all planters are 

 aware, heavy rains after 

 drought, as well as some other climatic conditions, have the same efi'ect 

 upon the plants. If the planter should observe an unusual shedding of 

 the fruit, he may easily determine the cause by gathering a few of the 

 fallen squares. If upon cutting open these squares he finds a small, 

 whitish, curved grub, there is but little doubt that the cause of the 

 trouble is the boll weevil. The specimen should then be sent to an 

 entomologist for final determination. 



Fig. 8 — Cotton square showing boll weevil larva in position — 

 natural size (original). 



LEGAL RESTRICTIONS CONCERNING SHIPMENT 



COTTON SEED. 



OF INFESTED 



A realization of the damage likely to be caused to a most important 

 crop by the introduction of the weevil into several States has led to 

 the legal restrictions that are noted below. It will be seen that four 



189 



