Effect of Age, Nutrition, Sex, and Time of Day on Response of Boll Weevils to an Attractant from Cotton12

Abstract

The response of insects to attractants is greatly influenced by the condition of the test insects and their environment (Crystal 1964, Shorey and Gaston 1964). Thus, for the continuing bioassays of volatile fractions from the cotton plant to isolate, identify, and synthesize the attractant in cotton for the boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis Boheman (Keller et al. 1963, 1965; Hardee et al. 1966), the condition of the test insects and their environment must be optimum to assure the most reliable response. The effect of age, nutrition, sex, and time of day on the response of the boll weevil to plant attractants is reported here.