Mating Behavior of the Female Boll Weevil12

Abstract

Mating behavior of the boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis Boheman, was observed in isolated cottonfield plots in Florida and Mississippi. Males did not respond to females over distances greater than 1 or 2 inches, but females often sought males at distances of more than 30 feet, especially from downwind positions. Elaborate tactile behavior by the female was common in inducing males to mate. Successive multiple matings were noted for both sexes.