The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1921-06-16
MUST FIGHT NOW
TO BEAT WEENlL.
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summers when even the grown bolls
are attacked. Weevils subsist by suck
ing the buds and tender squares Of
cotton. They do not eat the plant,
therefore their damage is less notice
able until late in the year when the
absence of blooms and fruit is very
evident.
1t is not the habit of weevils to fly
from place to place OF from field to
field at this time oryear. Cotton IS
what they are looking for when they
come out Of Information and when
they find it. they no more fly over the
country looking for other cotton than
you would leave a good turkey dinner
and maybe have to eat at sandwich
stand. Later in the year when they
have become so numerous that both
food and breeding places are scarce,
many weevilS migrate just as bees
swarm in certain seasons. They all
do not leave and those that do prob
ably have no particular direction to
go, but we can only trace them in the
newly infested areas. They are sup
posed to make these annual migra-
tons by short successive flights, total
ing as have said an average of about
sixty miles per year.
How Weevils Hibernate.
| heard the statement on the street
Saturday that weevils have grand
children in three days, but this is not
true. The truth is that on the aver
age three weeks are required for a
generation of weevils to develop from
egg to adult and therefore, the: 90 not
have grandchildren under six o: eight
weeks.
All the weevils that we have in Lee
county now have survived the Win
ter because they have not yet had
squares long enough to raise any
young. The number of weevils in the
spring depends upon whether or not
the winter was favorable or unfavor-
able for them to survive in hiberna-
ton. Last winter was very favorable
and we probably have heavy infesta-
tion. On the average, believe it Is
claimed that 3 per cent. OF the
alternating weevils survive but this
varies from l per cent. to as high as
40. All weevils do not come out at
once in the spring. Some probably
come out too early and die but others
wait long enough to be safe. They
usually find nearby cotton and begin
to feed on ii by sucking the 51ds OF
the largest stalks which develops a
vithered or frost bitten appearance.
Such a condition is sure Indication
OF the presence of q weevil on or near
that stalk. You will find more wee-
Wis near the woods, stumps, trees,
hedge rows, barns and other places
suitable for alternating quarters. And
the weeyils are almost always in the
buds of the largest stalks of cotton
in the morning but hide under the
leaves later in the day.
Multiply by Millions.
From these early wcevils, which
have survived the winter, thousands
and millions ere raised later, since
they are very prolific. Soon after
squares are formed on the cotton the
weevils quit the buds and begin to
puncture the squares with their long
bills making a hole about the size OF
small needle. Larger punctures are
net caused by boil weevilS. Some OF
the squares have open holes in them
while others are sealed up. The for
mer are called feeding punctures. J"
while the others are breeding pune
lures" The latter contains weevil
egg which in a few days matches into
a tiny worm called the larva. This
worm eats out the inside of the square
and changes OF molts into beetle-like
creature called a rupa, which IN turn
develops into the adult weevil that
gnaws out of the square OF young boil
and the life cycle starts over again.
The average female weevil lays 14O
eggs and on the average three weeks
1.-TWO in midsummer and as long as
seven in the late falD are required for
the development through different
stages from egg to adult. Many fac
tors work against maximum repro
duction but in favorable seasons the
offspring from one pair at this time
can be several millions. If all lived
in each generation the number would
be about 11,5O0,OO0 defendants from
one pair in early spring.
Plans for the Battle.
Now, we are most interested in
learning what can be done to control
or eradicate the boil weevil because