12 Growing Sea Island Cotton Under Florida Conditions 



turns yellow, and falls from the plant. By this time the white 

 curved grub will be about an eighth of an inch long, and some- 

 what flattened. 



In about twelve or fourteen days after the egg is deposited, 

 the grub begins to grow wing pads and a thin white "bill" 

 which lies on the under side. It is now a pupa, or "kicker." 

 If alive and healthy, each time it is touched it will wiggle vig- 

 orously. This stage lasts about a week before the pupa com- 

 pletes its transformation into a fully developed, soft reddish 

 adult weevil, ready to escape from the hollowed out brown 

 squares or boll. Thus the complete developmental period from 

 egg to adult under ordinary summer field conditions, is about 

 21 days. Approximately another week elapses before the 

 young females become sexually mature, and begin to deposit 

 eggs. A complete weevil generation in Florida ordinarily re- 

 quires about 28 days in the summer. Very favorable tempera- 

 ture and moisture conditions will shorten this period some- 

 what, while dry cool weather in the fall lengthens it. 



