The Utility of Sealed Punctures for Studying Fecundity and Egg Laying by the Boll Weevil

Abstract

As the boll weevil (Anthonomus grandis Boheman) removes its ovipositor from a puncture after egg deposition, a seal is formed over the opening. Counts were made of sealed and open punctures and eggs in cotton squares fed upon by weevils in the laboratory. A good correlation existed between sealed punctures and eggs. Regression analysis showed that as the number of punctures increased, the number of eggs recovered decreased. Counts of sealed punctures in squares required only about one-third the time necessary for dissection of eggs from squares.