56 



PAPERS ON THE COTTON BOLL WEEVIL, ETC. 



any hav 

 showed 



ing been shipped from there at any time. Further information 

 that peppers were bought up in carload lots in Mexico and 

 shipped to the United States and without luuch 

 doubt rebilled from the localities mentioned 

 to give an impression that these peppers were 

 home grown. Dr. A. W. Morrill reported 

 that a large number of peppers were shipped 

 annually to the United States from the dis- 

 tricts of Zacatecas and San Luis Potosi, 

 Mexico, and he had collected the weevil at 

 Tlabualilo. Durango, Mexico. 



FOOD PLANTS. 



Fig. 10. — Fepper weevil ( Anthon 

 omus a^neot i nctus): Adult 



It is evident that the weevil does not breed 

 Mu7h enlarged (after HunTer 1^ the wild or bird pepper, for these plants 

 and mnds). were examined thoroly at all the points visited 



as well as at Victoria, Tex. The bell or sweet pepper (PI. II, figs. 



4-6), chilli (PL II. figs. 1-3), and tabasco peppers of several varieties 



are alwaj^s affected wherever the weevil occurs. 



NATURAL ENEMIES. 



As in the case of the boll weevil {AntJiorwiuus grandis Boh.), altho 

 a few parasites were reared, these did not occur in sufficient numbers 

 to keep the insect in check. Mr. J. C. Crawford has identified the 

 parasitic species 2i^ Braconmellitor'^dLj ^2i\i^ Catolacciis Incer t us Ashm. 

 A small ant, Solenopsis g-eminata Fab.," was noticed to be actively 

 engaged in removing larvae and pupae from the pods which bad 

 weevil exit holes in them, but in no case did the ants make an entrance 

 themselves. 



In the parasite breeding cages thousands of small mites were 

 observed bv Mr. W. W. Yothers, who reported that their presence in 

 no wa}^ incommoded the weevils. 



To determine the average number of weevils that may infest the 

 chilli peppers, several experiments were tried, with the following 

 results: 



Experiment Number of 

 No. pods. 



Number of 



weevils 



emerged. 



Period covered. 



1 i 80 



2 ! 230 



3 ' 200 



4 . 100 



86 

 156 

 143 

 123 



Oct. 18-Nov. 4. 



Do. 

 Oct. 18-Nov. 11. ! 

 Oct. 18-Oct. 31. 



i 



Total.. tilO 



rm 



Thus it will be noticed that an average of nearly one adult to each 

 pod was bred. 



«See Bill. 63, Pt. Ill, Bur. Ent, U. S. Dept. Agric An Ant Enemy of the Cot- 

 ton Boll Weevil. Bv \V. K. Hinds. 



