IMPORTANT INSECT ENEMIES OF COTTON 139 



of these methods for treating cotton is questionable. 

 Rather late planting of cotton has been found helpful 

 owing to the fact that the cotton leaf-louse does most of 

 its destructive work early in the season. There are some 

 natural enemies of the cotton leaf-louse that help to keep 

 it in check, such as the lady-beetles and certain small 

 black four-winged flies. These flies sting tne lice and 

 deposit their eggs in their bodies. 



169. The cotton red-spider (Tetranychus gloveri). - 

 This small ''mite" is often found in great numbers congre- 

 gated along the veins and in the depressions on the lower 

 surface of the leaves of the cotton plant. It injures the 

 cotton by sucking the sap from the tender part of the 

 plants, causing, at first, the appearance of " slight yellow 

 spots " on the surface of the leaves. As the injury increases 

 the spots become larger and the leaves begin to curl. The 

 cotton, when badly infested, has somewhat the appearance 

 of "rusted cotton." 



Treatment is seldom attempted, although dusting with 

 powdered sulphur in such a way as to blow it on the 

 under side of the leaves has been recommended. When 

 the injury is first noticed all injured plants should be pulled 

 and burned. Spraying these injured plants with a two 

 per cent solution of scalecide or a two per cent lime-sulphur 

 solution, is also recommended. 



170. The cowpea pod-weevil (Chalcodermis aeneus). 

 This beetle or .weevil does most damage to cotton on areas 

 where cowpeas was the previous crop. The weevil is black 

 with a long snout and is often mistaken for the cotton boll- 

 weevil. It injuries the growing tender parts and buds of 

 young cotton plants. 



Where the cowpea pod-weevil is very abundant it is 

 advisable to plant no cowpeas on land that is to be planted 



