56 



PAPEKS ON THE COTTON BOLL WEEVIL, ETC. 



an} T having been shipped from there at any time. Further information 

 showed that peppers were bought up in carload lots in Mexico and 



shipped to the United States and without much 

 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 

 Tlahualilo, Durango, Mexico. 



FOOD PLANTS. 



fig. lo.-repper weevil (Anthon- It is evident that the weevil does not breed 



07nus xneotinctus): Adult. . • . , . 1 



Much enlarged (after Hunter m the- wild or bird pepper, f or these plants 

 and Hinds). 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 alwavs affected wherever the weevil occurs. 



NATURAL ENEMIES. 



As in the case of the boll weevil {Anthonomus 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 as Br aeon mellitor Say ■, and Catolaccus incertus Ashm. 

 A small ant, Solenopsis geminata Fab., a was noticed to be actively 

 engaged in removing larva? and pupa? from the pods which had 

 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 by Mr. W. W. Yothers, who reported that their presence in 

 no way 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 Period covered, 

 emerged. 



1 80 



2 230 



3... 200 



86 Oct. 18-Nov. 4. 

 156 Do. 

 143 Oct. 18-Xov. 11. 

 123 Oct. 18-Oct. 31. 



4 ' 100 



Total . . 610 



508 



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

 pod was bred. 



"See Bui. 63, Pt, III. Bur. Ent., U. S. Dept. Agric. An Ant Enemy of the Cot- 

 ton Boll Weevil. Bv W. E. Hinds. 



