15 



Under this heading may also be mentioned the cannibalistic habits 

 of the boUworms themselves. Of the many small larvae which may 

 be found in a recently sillied ear of corn, rarely more than two or 

 three will escape being devoured by their larger fellows, and succeed 

 in reaching maturity. Weather conditions also exert an important 

 influence on this species. In general, rains late in July and early in 

 August favor bollworm injury. Bollworms, along with insects in 

 general, are food for many species of birds and for barn3^ard fowls. 

 At Calvert, Tex., the present year a flock of turkeys was observed 

 feeding on bollworms infesting alfalfa. The distended crops of the 

 turkeys of the entire flock gave evidence of the considerable number 

 of larviie which they had eaten during the morning. 



INEFFECTIVE METHODS OF BOLLWORM CONTROL. 



During periods of serious bollworm injury various methods are 

 often resorted to b}^ planters in their efi'orts to prevent the destruc- 

 tion of the crop. Some of these do little, if any, good and, as a rule, 

 result only in a waste of time and money. Attention is called to the 

 more common of these, in order that this needless loss may not occur 

 in the future. 



LIGHTS FOR TRAPPING MOTHS. 



Various light traps have often been advised, and reports are not 

 wanting as to their efficiency. Nevertheless the careful investigation 

 of this subject by this Division has shown that the use of lights for 

 attracting and desti'oying bollworm moths is without beneficial results. 

 It is true that bollworm moths have been captured at lights, but these 

 have been few in number and mostly males or worn-out females. 

 Numerous species of moths and other insects may be caught, often in 

 large quantities, by lights placed in cotton tields. A careful exami- 

 nation of the catch, however, will show comparatively few bollworm 

 moths. The other insects caught include many that are beneficial by 

 preying upon injurious species. There can be no doubt that money 

 expended in the use of light traps is entirely lost. 



POISONED SWEETS. 



The use of poisoned baits, as vinegar and molasses poisoned with 

 cobalt to attract the moths in feeding, has been more or less recom- 

 mended for many years. The practice has been to pour out the bait 

 on plates, placing them on small stakes set up here and there in the 

 cotton field. Experiments the past year with poisoned baits have 

 given no results of material value in bollworm control, though in 

 times of scarcity of food the moths might be attracted in greater num- 

 bers. On the whole the method has nothing to recommend it. 



