RECENT STUDIES OP THE MEXICAN COTTON BOLL WEEVIL. 

 PERIOD PROM FIRST FEEDING ON SQUARES TO OVIPOSITION. 



13 



The period from first feeding on squares to oviposition is shown 

 for hibernated A. grandis females in Table IV. 



Table IV. — Time from first feeding on squares to oviposition for hibernated females of 



A. grandis. 1 



Collected, 



May— 



First fed 



on squares, 



May — 



First eggs 



deposited, 



May — 



Period fed 

 on squares 

 to deposi- 

 tion. 



Total pe- 

 riod from 

 first fed 

 on leaves 

 to deposi- 

 tion. 



8 



8 



8 



8 



10 



14 

 14 

 15 



17 

 24 



22 

 19 

 20 

 19 

 25 



Days. 

 8 

 5 

 5 

 2 

 1 



Days. 

 14 

 11 

 12 

 11 

 15 



4.2 



8 



1 



12.6 



15 



11 





















1 These weevils were collected in the field before squares began to form and fed upon leaves until the 

 dates noted above. 



The weevils were collected in the field before any squares were 

 formed and were fed only on cotton leaves until the dates given for 

 placing on squares. It is seen that the period ranged from 1 to 8 

 days with an average of 4.2 days. An interesting point, however, is 

 the fact that the time from the change from leaves to squares as food 

 to the beginning of oviposition seems to vary inversely with the time 

 fed on leaves. The totals of these two periods or, in other words, 

 approximately the time from first feeding on the cotton plant to ovi- 

 position, are surprisingly similar. They vary from 11 to 15 days with 

 an average of 12.6 days. 



This period for female thurberise paired with male grandis was 12 

 and 15 days in the two cases tested in May and June. This gives an 

 average of 13.5 days. In early September this period ranged from 



2 to 5 days with an average of 3 days. 



During the early part of September this period for typical thurberise 

 varied from 1 to 3 days with an average of 2.2 days. 



In all these series where female thurberise, were used the individuals 

 were extracted from their hibernation cells in Thurberia bolls and 

 placed on cotton squares immediately. 



The period from first feeding to oviposition of early hibernated 

 females was observed in only one pair of weevils fed on the buds and 

 blooms of Callirrhoe pedata. This female began depositing eggs 6 

 days after being placed on this food. As these weevils were collected 

 during the early part of May they had probably fed very little, if at 

 all, on cotton. 



