Boll Weevil Facts & Information
Treatment
How do I get rid of boll weevils?
What Orkin Does
Your local Orkin Pro is trained to help manage boll weevils and similar pests. Since every building or home is different, your Orkin Pro will design a unique program for your situation.
Orkin can provide the right solution to keep boll weevils in their place…out of your home, or business.
Frequently Asked Questions
Behavior, Diet & Habits
Understanding Boll Weevils
Appearance
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Color: Boll weevils are black, reddish-brown, or gray in color.
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Size: These weevils measure an average of 6 mm in length.
Diet
The boll weevil diet consists solely of cotton plants and closely related vegetation. During the larval stage, the boll weevil feeds on the cotton that surrounds it, thus rendering the bud and flower unusable in cotton harvests.
Geographic Range
They are present in the United States, as well as in other regions with high cotton crop concentrations, such as South America.
Reproduction
The name of this insect was derived from its habit of laying eggs in the cotton plant’s boll. The complete life cycle of the boll weevil lasts approximately three weeks. Despite a short lifespan, their damage can be massive as one female is capable of laying up to 200 eggs.