June is, 1914 
Feeding Habits of the Boll Weevil 
243 
However, a few eggs have been deposited in punctures made through 
the calyx, but in these cases the boll weevils seem to experience great 
difficulty in sealing the opening. The tissue of the exposed corolla 
probably most nearly approximates that in which the boll weevils are 
accustomed to develop. It is of interest to note that of the boll weevils 
collected from cotton in the field and placed on Hibiscus only one deposited 
a single egg. 
The older buds of Hibiscus are very hardy, and the puncture of the 
boll weevil very rarely prevents them from opening and shedding the 
eggs or larvae. The number of instances of this occurring is readily shown 
by a glance at the preceding records of tests of the eggs. Although these 
buds had been picked from the plants and placed in tumblers, a very large 
percentage of them bloomed and so prevented breeding. This character¬ 
istic of Hibiscus, taken in connection with the habits of the boll weevil, 
is undoubtedly of great importance in preventing it from breeding in the 
buds. The boll weevil naturally selects the older buds, which are 
slightly opened at the tips, for oviposition, but these buds are usually 
able to open and rid themselves of the pest. 
The food preference displayed by the boll weevil is quite pronounced. 
Almost all feeding is on the corolla and the stamens of the bloom. Next 
to these in importance come the buds and then the young fruit. The 
latter are so very different in tissue and formation that it is not surprising 
that boll weevils will not feed on them to any extent. In fact, the only 
cases of feeding on fruit were when it was young, usually within a day 
or two of the dropping of the bloom. 
While the various series of the Louisiana and Texas boll weevils and 
the Arizona Thurberia weevil were not sufficiently similar to allow an 
exact comparison, some indication of the extent and nature of the adapta¬ 
tion can be seen. The conduct of the three types of weevils in relation 
to feeding was practically the same. All showed the same food preference, 
and, allowing for quite natural variations, the extent of the feeding was 
much the same. While the experiments with the Louisiana boll weevils 
were quite limited in extent, they gave all indications of as much adapta¬ 
tion to the food as the native and Thurberia weevils. 
The longevity of these weevils is of considerable interest. Since the 
three series under way when the supply was exhausted were by far the 
most important in this respect, the only figures which can be given are 
very unsatisfactory. The average longevity of both sexes feeding on buds 
alone was 3.7 days. That for blooms alone was 25.3 days. As these 
two series were carried on at the same time and were identical in condi¬ 
tions, the comparison shows the relative food values of the two. Of the 
boll weevils fed on buds, blooms, and fruit the spring series averaged 
19.2 days and the summer series, 14.1 days. However, these records 
are shown to be of little value when compared with the fall series. The 
longevity of the three series, interrupted by the lack of food, may be 
summarized as follows: Of the 24 weevils started on this food, 17 were 
still alive, 1 was killed when 32 days old, and 6 had died with an average 
longevity of 20.5 days. This was on October 13, or 33 days after the 
emergence of the adults used. Both sexes of the boll weevils collected 
in the field and then fed on Hibiscus died on an average of 16 days after 
being placed on this food. 
The developmental periods of the boll weevils under discussion are 
shown in Table II. 
