

plant. The most successful diet contained acetone powder from squares in addi- 

 tion to agar, salts, sugar, vitamins, cholesterol, soybean protein, and water. 

 The weevils reared on this diet are larger than those reared on diets using soy- 

 bean protein or casein as the only source of protein. By adding 2 mold inhibitors, 

 sorbic acid and methyl p-hydroxybenzoate, the need for the sterilization of the 

 diet was eliminated. Successive generations of weevils can be maintained in the 

 laboratory by allowing adults to feed and to oviposit in cotton squares. Eggs are 

 then recovered from the squares and are placed in the larval diet. The weevils 

 reach maturity in 2 to 3 weeks at 27° C. 



1959 - Vanderzant, Erma S. Inositol: An indispensable dietary requirement for the boll 

 weevil. J. Econ. Ent. 52(5): 10 18- 1019. 



Under aseptic conditions inositol was shown to be an indispensable nutrient 

 for the boll weevil, and the amounts needed lie in the same range as those of the 

 water-soluble vitamins. 



1959 - Vanderzant, Erma S., C. D. Richardson, and T. B. Davich. Feeding and Oviposi- 



tion by the boll weevil on artificial diets. J. Econ. Ent. 52(6): 1138-1 143. 



Artificial diets are described for the adult boll weevil. Basal diets contained 

 an enzymatic hydrolyzate of casein, glucose, corn oil, cholesterol, Wessons's 

 salts, choline, ascorbic acid, B vitamins, water, and agar. Mixed pollen in 

 amounts of 0.1 to 5 grams per 100 grams of the basal diet stimulated feeding 

 and oviposition. Five generations of weevils were obtained on artificial diets 

 without cotton-plant parts by rearing from egg to adult on a soybean protein 

 diet and allowing the adults to feed and oviposit on a diet containing mixed 

 pollen. Oviposition occurred when pollens from different families of plants were 

 used. The only substance other than pollen that appreciably stimulated oviposi- 

 tion was wheat germ. 



A basal diet containing homogenates of heated cotton plant parts, squares, 

 flowers, germinated cottonseed, and young green seedlings also caused weevils 

 to feed and oviposit. Tests with modifications of the basal diets are described. 

 Substances that repelled the boll weevil when included in the basal diets were 

 alfalfa meal, forage juice, distiller's dried solubles, yeast extract, and beef 

 extract. 



1960 - Solomon, J. D., and R. D. Hunter. Laboratory rearing of the cotton boll weevil. 



Ark. Farm Res. 9(3):5. May-June. 



Procedures are described for rearing and supplying boll weevils for 

 laboratory tests throughout the year. The composition of an artificial diet is 

 given. 



ALTERNATE-HOST PLANTS 



1905 - Hunter, W. D. The control of the boll weevil, including results of recent investi- 

 gations. U. S. D. A. Farmers' B. 216:32, 5 fig. 



Observations were made on Mexican tree cotton. It was found that this 

 species is not immune to weevil attack. 



1914 - Coad, B. R. Feeding habits of the boll weevil on plants other than cotton. 

 Agric. Res. J. 2(3):235-245. 



Experiments were carried out by the author in connection with investigations 

 on the biology of the boll weevil at Victoria, Tex., on the possibility of the boll 

 weevil being able to breed in some of the native malvaceous plants. Various 

 plants were tried, and the average longevity of the weevils on each was observed. 

 On Sphaeraleae lindheimeri , the weevils fed readily, but deposited no eggs; the 

 life of the weevil was short, and it is unlikely that the insect would ever become 

 adapted to feeding on this plant. Weevils fed on Callirrhoe involucrata and C. 

 pedata and lived a comparatively long time, but their chance of breeding was 

 slight and only observed in rare instances. 



156 



