PINK BOLLWORM OF COTTON IN MEXICO. 
33 
Busck (8) bred the pink boll worm from Gossypium tomentosum in 
Hawaii, but did not find it in milo; King (9) reports it from hanbuk 
(Abutilon sp.) in Africa; and Gough (12) records mallow (Malva sp.). 
Willcocks (7) states that the food plants in Egypt are bamia or okra 
(Hibiscus esculentus) , teel or hemp (Hibiscus cannabinus), and holly- 
hock (Althaea rosea). 
A number of malvaceous plants were grown beside heavily infested 
cotton on the laboratory grounds and several became infested. 
Okra (Hibiscus esculentus) became rather heavily infested in every 
instance when grown in close proximity to cotton. Table XVII 
is a complete record of all the seed pods grown on 30 plants at 
the laboratory during the season of 1919. From August 14 to 
December 3, 590 seed pods were examined with the following results: 
66.7 per cent were infested with live larva? and pupae, and the total 
infestation, including seed pods that were unmistakably infested but 
in which no larvae or pupae were found, was 73.8 per cent. The in- 
fested seed pods averaged 2 larvae, pupae, and exit holes. 
Table XVII. — Seed-pod examination of Okra (H. esculentus). 
Num- 
ber of 
pods. 
Pods infested. 
Infestation. 
Num- 
ber of 
infested 
pods 
without 
larvae 
or 
pupae 
present. 
Num- 
ber of 
exit 
holes. 
Remarks. 
Num- 
ber. 
Per 
cent. 
Larvae 
total. 
Num- 
ber of 
pupae. 
Pupae 
and 
larvae. 
38 
33 
60 
50 
100 
100 
50 
84 
20 
20 
35 
11 
9 
36 
35 
69 
79 
45 
66 
12 
17 
15 
28.9 
27.2 
60.0 
70.0 
69.0 
79.0 
90.0 
78.5 
60.0 
85.0 
42.8 
9 
9 
48 
85 
105 
106 
92 
147 
37 
35 
21 





5 
4 
5 



9 
9 
48 
85 
105 
111 
96 
152 
37 
35 
21 
3 
1 
1 
3 
13 
13 
2 
5 
1 
1 





25 
37 
13 
8 

1 

Green pods. 
Do. 
Do. 
Do. 
Do. 
Do. 
Dry pods. 
Do. 
Do. 
Do. 
Green pods. 
590 
394 
66.7 
694 
14 
708 
43 
84 
From this one observation it seems that when attacking okra the 
pink bollworm is more inclined to pupate in the seed pods than in 
the bolls when cotton is attacked. No plausible explanation can be 
given as to why this should occur. 
The manner of attack and feeding habits in okra are essentially 
the same as in cotton, but no larvae were ever found feeding in the 
flower buds or flowers. 
Double seeds or three or four seeds are frequently webbed together 
in much the same manner as double seed in cotton, though the work 
is not so clean and particles of frass are usually found attached to 
them. Plate IV shows full-grown larvae feeding in okra pods. 
One important point to be determined is whether the species is able 
to sustain and perpetuate itself on okra alone as a food plant. Two 
