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Boll Weevil

05/03/2006 06:26AM

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Photo courtesy of the Clemson University Entomology Dept.
Boll weevil getting ready to feed - notice the long snout
The adult weevils have a snout and are about one-fourth inch long. They may be reddish-brown, gray, or almost black. A distinguishing feature is the presence of two spurs on the first joint (femur) of each front leg.

Photo courtesy of the Clemson University Entomology Dept.
Boll weevil feeding
Adult weevils spend the winter in ground trash near old cotton fields. Eggs are laid singly in squares and bolls in punctures made by the weevil's snout. Feeding punctures appear as small uncapped holes, whereas egg-laying punctures are covered with a small wart-like growth. Both types of punctures will cause squares and small bolls to drop.

Photo courtesy of the Clemson University Entomology Dept.
Boll weevil larva on the left.....Boll weevil pupa on the right
The white, legless larva feeds and pupates within the square or boll. The development from egg to adult takes 3 weeks. During the growing season the adults emerge from the square or boll; however, some adults of the last generation may remain in bolls during hibernation. Five generations can develop in South Carolina.

Photo courtesy of the Clemson University Entomology Dept.
Look at the damage done to the cotton bolls by the boll weevil
The boll weevil has caused an estimated $14 billion loss in yield to the U.S. Cotton industry since it arrived from Mexico in 1892. Programs to eliminate boll weevils have led to its total eradication in several cotton producing states.
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