CHAPTER XI 



SOME IMPORTANT INSECT ENEMIES OF 

 COTTON 



THE three most destructive insect enemies of cotton, 

 considering the entire cotton-belt, are the Mexican cotton 

 boll-weevil, the cotton boll-worm, and the cotton leaf- 

 worm. Other insect enemies of secondary importance 

 that do considerable damage to the cotton crop, are the 

 cotton leaf-louse, the cotton red-spider, the cowpea pod- 

 weevil, and cutworms. 



THE MEXICAN COTTON BOLL-WEEVIL (AnthonOMUS 



grandis (Fig. 18.) 



It is thought that the cotton boll-weevil is native to 

 Mexico or Central America, all evidence pointing to the 

 fact that since prehistoric times 

 it has thrived upon the peren- 

 nial tree cottons of those re- 

 gions. Its history in the cotton- 

 belt of the United States begins 

 in 1892, at which tune it crossed 

 the Rio Grande into Texas in 

 the vicinity of Brownsville. In 

 1894 this pest damaged the cot- 

 ton crop rather severely in half 

 a dozen counties in south- 

 east Texas and during the ten years following it spread 

 over the greater portion of the state. The boll-weevil 



127 



Fio. 18. Adult boll-weevil 

 showing characteristic 

 teeth on front legs which 

 serve to distinguish this 

 insect from other weevils. 



