13 



ping of the squares, as injury by tlio boll weevil and the punctures of 

 the sharpshooter and other sucking' insects. Under certain climatic 

 conditions, as extremes in rainfall and drought, the plant may of itself 

 throw off a considerable number of squares and young bolls. Much 

 of this shedding, whatever the cause, is attributed by planters to the 

 ])ollworm, and the insect is thus frequently charged with damage 

 greatly out of proportion to the real injur}" inflicted. 



Injury to the boll is likewise easily recognized (figs. 6 and 7). A cir- 

 cular hole is eaten into the boll, usually near its base, of sufficient size 

 to admit the body 

 of the larva. The 

 worm may simply 

 penetrate the boll, 

 leaving it for an- 

 other, or it may eat 

 quite to the interior 

 and devour more or 

 less of the contents. 

 An individual boll- 

 worm may traverse 

 a plant many times 

 in its search for food, 

 or even leave the 

 plant. The traveling- 

 may be done during 

 any part of the day, 

 though it is to be 

 noted that the hot 

 sun is avoided as 

 much as possible. 

 The amount of dam- 

 age done by a single 

 larva is quite vari- 

 able and hard to de- 

 termine. The worm 

 may find a suitable 

 boll and largely devour it, or a considerable number ma}^ be eaten into, 

 one being left for another on account of its hardness or for other rea- 

 sons. When feeding on squares, a large number of these must neces- 

 sarily be devoured, by reason of their small size, to furnish the food 

 required for the larva in its growth. 



The moths or parents of the boUworm are largely nocturnal in their 

 habits, beginning to feed, and the females to oviposit, about twilight, 

 yet it is to be noted that in times of abundance, as during August, 

 many moths may be seen feeding and ovipositing during almost any 

 part of the day, but especially in the afternoon if the sun be more or 



Fig. 6.— Cotton boll, showing mode of attack by bollworm from with- 

 out — natural size (original). 



