Late Season Boll Weevil Infestations and Survival in a Cotton Bolls in Arizona

Abstract

Studies were conducted in Phoenix AZ, to determine the development of boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis Boheman, infestations in late - season cotton bolls, the pattern of boll weevil emergence, and survival /mortality in the bolls. Boll weevils emerged from bolls buried in moist vermiculite over a period of 232 to 239 days, from 29 January to 2 August. Higher percentages of emergence and lowest mortality in bolls occurred in bolls collected in November as compared to bolls collected in December. Few boll weevils emerged from bolls held under dry conditions in an outdoor insectary for 174 days. However, an average of 16% of the weevils were found alive in the dry bolls in late May.