Feeding Habits of the Boll Weevil on Plants Other than Cotton

In the course of the investigations on the biology of Anthonomus grandis at Victoria, Tex., during the summer of 1913, under the direction of Mr. W. D. Hunter, the writer was able to conduct a number of experiments on the possibility of the boll weevil's breeding in some of the native malvaceous plants. Since the results secured differ with the plants, they are grouped under the various species of plants tested. The nutritive value of these plants is best shown by a comparison of the longevity of boll weevils fed upon them and the length of life of specimens fed upon cotton and also those kept without food. For this reason the following summary taken from experiments conducted at the same time is given. Forty boll weevils placed on moist sand immediately after emergence and left without food gave a maximum longevity of 6 days, the average for the two sexes being 3.3 days. A number of boll weevils fed only on cotton bolls gave a maximum longevity of 32 days and an average of 17.2 days. Those fed only on cotton leaves had a maximum life of 45 days and an average of 12 days. Of course, the boll weevils fed on cotton squares lived longer than any others. Their maximum life period was 74 days, the average being 40 days.