Abstract
Individual unmated males, unmated females, and pairs of Curculio caryae (Horn) were confined to nut clusters on ‘Stuart’ variety pecan trees in 1972 to study feeding damage and oviposition in relation to nut development. Through Aug. 14, male weevils penetrated the nut shell and caused immature nuts to fall; thereafter, as the shells hardened, males penetrated through the shucks only. Virgin females caused slightly more fallen nuts (drops) over a longer period. The majority of nuts punctured before Aug. 18 fell in 6–15 days; nuts punctured after Aug. 18 remained green and adhered to the tree past normal harvest. Individual male and female pecan weevils destroyed an average 0.23 and 0.29 nuts/day, respectively, July 26–Aug. 14. Mated females began oviposition Aug. 18, the date when a thin cotyledonous layer formed inside that seed coat. Effective oviposition started Aug. 23.
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