BIOLOGY OF THE MEXICAN COTTON BOLL WEEVIL. ag 
DEVELOPMENTAL PERIOD OF THE BOLL WEEVIL IN GREEN 
COTTON BOLLS. 
Owing to the fact that large numbers of adult weevils in the field 
at the time the bolls are set deposit eggs in the bolls almost as readily 
as they do in the squares, it is almost impossible to secure noninfested 
bolls for breeding purposes. Therefore the following method for 
securing the developmental period of the weevil in cotton bolls for 
upland, long-staple, and sea-island cotton was followed. 
Large, healthy, grown bolls were examined for egg punctures. The 
number of egg punctures was recorded on a light string tag, together 
Fig. 11.—Green cotton bolls bagged in muslin to secure records on the immature stages 
of the weeyil, Madison, Fla. 
with the date of examination. The boll was inclosed in a thin muslin 
bag to prevent further infestation and allowed to remain on the plant 
under normal field conditions until the adult weevil emerged. All 
weevils that emerged were counted and the sex determined. 
During the month of August 200 weevil-infested bolls were bagged 
(fig. 11) on each of the three types of cotton. Daily examinations 
were made of the bagged bolls after a period of 10 days had elapsed. 
The upland cotton bolls produced 7 male weevils that required 233 
weevil days for development, or an average period of 33.2 days. The 
6 female weevils bred from upland cotton bolls required a total of 
207 weevil days, or an average period of 34.5 days from egg to adult. 
The 200 long-staple or thick-rind cotton bolls produced 8 male 
weevils that required 250 weevil days from egg to adult, or an average 
