Winter Survival of the Boll Weevil in the High and Rolling Plains of Texas12

Abstract

Cage studies of the overwintering ability of Anthonomus grandis Boheman showed that higher percentages of individuals reared on cotton bolls survived the winter than did individuals reared on squares or a cottonseed meal diet, or adults collected from the field. The time during the fall that boll weevils were placed into over-wintering cages did not affect the time of emergence in the spring. However, boll weevils installed in cages between Oct. 15 and Nov. 3 had higher survival rates than weevils installed earlier or later. Peak boll weevil emergence occurred in mid-May.