THE CONCHUELA. 
55 
DESTRUCTIVES ESS. 
XDIYIIHAI. CAPABI] [TIES. 
As a basis for determining the amount of damage done to cotton 
boils by individual conchuelas an examination was made on July 
17, 1905, of 104 bolls upon which one or more adults were observed 
feeding. These bolls were opened and the number of punctures 
found on the inside of the carpels was recorded. One hundred bolls 
showed positive injury, and the remainder did not show enough 
discoloration to justify their inclusion with those believed to be 
ruined, although the two smaller ones would very likely have failed 
to mature if left on the plants. These 4 bolls were in diameter 
approximately one-half an inch, three-fourths of an inch, one and 
one-eighth inches, and one and one-fourth inches, and showed on the 
inner side of the carpels, 2, 5, 19, and 32 punctures, respectively. 
The results of the examination of the damaged bolls are summarized 
in the following table: 
Table XXV. — Results of examinations of 100 bolls upon which one or 'mens 
of the conchuela had been observed feeding in the field. 
Approximate 
diameter. 
Inches. 
h 
f 
a 
j::::::::::::::: 
1 
If::::::::::::::: 
If 
Totals and sum 
marv 
Num- 
ber. 
100 
Badly 
damaged, 
75 
Slightly 
damaged. 
Total 
number of 
punctures. 
Average 
number of 
punctures 
per boll. 
Maximum Minimum 
number of number of 
punctures punctures 
per boll. per boll. 
3 
3 
119 
17 
266 
19 
420 
2s 
1,150 
50 
1,4n4 
53 
504 
63 
172 
43 
3 
34 
34 
41 
88 
141 
136 
-", 
4, IIS 
141 
Data have now been given from which we may calculate approxi- 
mately the amount of damage that a single conchuela is capable of 
doing. It has been shown that in cotton fields in midsummer each 
insect spends on an average about 78 per cent of its time feeding on 
cotton bolls or in round numbers about 1,100 minutes per day. At 
the rate of 1 puncture for each 20 minutes while feeding, 55 punctures 
per day would be made by each adult oi' these insects. The average 
number of punctures (41) in the damaged bolls referred to in Table 
XXV is equivalent, therefore, to the number one adult may make 
in about three-fourths of a day. 
Estimates based upon actual counts and examinations in various 
parts of Ceceda A. tabh 1-1, places the number o( bolls about the 
middle of July in the entire tabla at a little oxcv 2,500,000 ami the 
number damaged by bugs at a little more than 1,125,000. Other 
