On the Effects produced by the Attacks of the Pink Bollworm on the Yield of Cotton Seed and Lint in Egypt
The history of but few insects can be compared with that ofPectinophora(Geleckia)gossypiella, which, having started as a minor pest in its native country and having been transported by human agency to a new country, has there suddenly leapt to the most important position as a major pest of the crop it attacks. In this respect it may be placed with thePhylloxeraand the gipsy moth.Although the chief object of this paper is to consider certain aspects of the damage done by the pink bollworm to the cotton crop, the following short summary of the established facts concerning the life-history of the insect may be useful to readers not familiar with its habits.Food-Plants. The pink bollworm feeds on cotton (Gossypium, various species), okra (Hibiscus esculentus; Arabic :bamia; Hindustani :bhindi), Deccan hemp (Hibiscus cannabinus; Arabic :til), hollyhock (Althaea rosea), mallow (Malvasp., probablysilvestris),Thespesia populnea(fideFullaway ; this record is considered doubtful by Busck), andAbutilonsp. (Arabic :hanbuk;fideKing).It will be noticed that all these plants belong to the Malvaceae. The record for pomegranates given by Dudgeon and Gough is without doubt due to error.Of all these food-plants cotton is preferred. The larvae attack the stems (feeding in the cambium and boring a tunnel which encircles the stem), flowers, flower-buds, bolls and seeds.