U. S. D. A., B. E. Bui. 63, Part V. C. B. W. I., February 9, 1907. 



PAPERS ON THE COTTON BOLL WEEVIL AND 

 RELATED AND ASSOCIATED INSECTS. 



NOTES ON THE PEPPER WEEVIL. 



{Anthonomus seneotinctus Champ.) 

 By F. C. Pratt, Assistant. 



OCCURRENCE IN TEXAS. 



In a previous bulletin^ Mr. C. M. Walker gives an account of the 

 pepper weevil, which had been injuring peppers in Texas. Investiga- 

 tion during the fall of 1905 resulted in proving the disappearance of 

 this insect at Boerne, Tex., where it was first reported. Diligent 

 search in October and November by the writer, who was assisted by 

 Ml". L. Lamm, failed to show the existence of the weevils at that 

 place, altho peppers had been grown as extensively as before. 



At San Antonio, Tex., many truckers had given up the growing of 

 peppers on account of their experience the year previous, and on one 

 patch at Collins Gardens fully 80 per cent of the pods were attacked, 

 and several bushels of chilli and sweet peppers were shipped from 

 there to Dallas for observation. 



Several places, Floresville, Seguin, and New Braunfels, in the 

 vicinity of San Antonio, were visited to ascertain the extent of the 

 infested territor}^, but without success. Corpus Christi also was vis- 

 ited, but no injury was noticed and no reports were obtained concern- 

 ing the weevils. 



Mr. J. C. Crawford reported the presence of the weevil about 8 

 miles south of San Antonio, the grower having claimed to have noticed 

 this insect for several years. At Cotulla, Tex., Mr. Henry Caley 

 reported slight injury at one of his truck farms near that place, 

 altho the insect was not seen bv^ the writer. 



ORIGIN. 



That this insect (adult, fig. 10) has been introduced into the United 

 States from Mexico in recent years, there is no doubt, the exact date 

 at this time being undeterminable. Inquiries at San Antonio com- 

 mission houses elicited the information that peppers were shipped 

 from Laredo, Artesia, and Cotulla. As a matter of fact, few peppers 

 are raised at these places, the principal crop being onions. Mr. Caley, 

 at Cotulla, denied ever shipping peppers and was very skeptical about 



«Bul. 54, Bur. Ent., (J. S. Dept. Agric, pp. 43-48, 1905. 



55 



