mo ge tes 
“COTTON INSECTS 
Effects of hurricanes on cotton and cotton insects.~-T, C. Barber, 
Brownsville, Tex., reports on the effects on cotton and cotton insects of . 
the two hurricanes which swept the lower Rio Grande Valley of Téxas-on 
August 4 and September 45,1933. About one third of the unpicked crop 
was ruined by the first storm, the estimated logs being 8,000 to 10,000 
bales. The second and more severe hurricane of September 45 with-wind 
velocity of more than 100 miles per hour brought the cotton season to an 
abrupt termination by defoliating the plants’ and demolishing 54 gins. 
All cotton was completely defoliated, many plants were kijled by the wind 
loosening the root: system, and some plants were actually wrenched from the 
ground, The wind combined with the effécts of water fron the accompany 
ing 1@ inches of rain killed most of the plants, only a few having since’ 
recovered and put..out new growth, ie : 
The effect of the storms on the cotton insects seems to have been — 
caused more’ by a.shortage of food than by ‘actual destruction of the ine 
sects, The cotton leaf worm moths were still plentiful during the early 
part of September, following the hurricane, but gradually’ decreased until 
they ‘were’seldom seen by the end of the month. Boll weevils were tempor— 
arily halted by, the storm of August 4 but continued to be abundant enough 
to cause a heavy infestation of squares later in August. After the hurri- 
cane of September 45 all of the squares and bolls were stripped from the 
plants. cult weevils were quite plentiful on:the plants for the follow- 
ing week.or two but had greatly diminished in numbers by the end of Sep- 
tember, . As. the plants recuperatec a few stunted squares and bolls were 
produced, some of which were examined for. weevils. During October 252 
_fallen squares were collected but most of these had apparently fallen as 
a result ofthe general unhealthiness of the plants, as only 8 weevils 
emerged from them. This is in striking contrast to the usual heavy infes— 
tation found at this season of the year. The cotton flea hoppers practi- 
Cally disappeared after the last storm and are still very scarce. None 
have been taken on cotton since that time and, as most of the summer weed 
hosts were also destroyed, hoppers were not found in sweepings until the 
winter host weeds began to appear in October, Just what the final effects 
of these conditions will be on insect abundance next year is problematical, 
Normally the cotton stalks in this section are plowed under early in ths 
season and the land planted to winter truck crops. This year, however, 
with the destruction of the citrus and field crops, seed beds, and build 
ings, most of the farmers are confining their efforts mainly to restoring 
their property, and there is little prospect that the remaining cotton 
will be plowed under in the near future, If the winter is mild, breeding 
may continue and build up the insect population to about normal. 
